Scab
by twiniitowers
Summary: What happens in 1977 will change their lives forever. Please read and review. Thank you.
1. Awake

_**Scab **_

**Chapter 1**

**Awake**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**April 3, 1976 (Saturday)**

**12:45 a.m.**

It was a mistake sleeping over Forman's house.

Hyde had such a pain in his stomach that he couldn't move from his position in Eric's sleeping bag that was by

his window. It wasn't just his stomach, but for the last three years or so he sometimes would feel this strange

feeling. It was very hard to describe. He clutched at his stomach; he didn't feel the need to vomit or worse. It

was like coming off a very bad acid trip minus the hallucinations. At least his best friend was sleeping soundly.

Hyde turned over on his side and thought the joint they smoked in the basement after dinner before going

upstairs to bed had to be laced with something. But then again wouldn't Forman be in the same condition? And

this was happening since he was 13. But tonight's episode was indeed the worst. His heartbeat was more rapid

than normal and it scared the hell out of him. He almost thought of getting out of this sleeping bag and asking

for Mrs. Forman's help. She was a nurse. But that would mean going to the hospital, getting prodded, and then

that meant a call to Edna would be attempted. Hyde doubted that she would even be home to answer the

phone or if she would have even cared that her _only _son was in the hospital. His eyes were tearing up which he

found to be an unacceptable state to be in.

_He was going to have to tough it out._

_Knife_

Where did that thought come from? It wasn't the first night; this was just the most vivid vision yet.

_He could with open eyes see the silver blade and the serrated edges…the blood_

_dripping down from its tip like a poster from a horror movie._

_Hands like his_

_Screams_

_The girl who was tied with thick rope in a chair. The hands like his went around her neck _

_strangling her….honor student….wanted to work in Child Protective Services._

Where were these thoughts coming from and why was he having them?

He almost wanted to crawl in bed next to his friend, but men don't do that with other

men.

_Hyde closed his eyes and prayed for his own death._

_Knife off the ground….she saw her mother, the father saw the daughter, now he could kill_

_the father….._

He instinctively sent two messages in the same manner.

_[Stop It]_

_[Why are you killing them?]_

As quickly as the pain started it was over, and Hyde felt that he could breathe again. Was

it possible to be fully awake and still have nightmares?

This was the worst one yet.

When he was 13, Hyde's own basic brand of vandalism was slashing the tires of Coach Ferguson's blue Ford

Maverick or spray-painting graffiti on the gym lockers. _But he had visions of windows being broken in a downtown _

_shopping area like Kristallnacht._

_There were other guys, but only one wanted to destroy everything in his path. _

It only scared him when _he saw_ the dead bunny that was in a back alley with a switchblade left in him. How

unnecessarily cruel it was. Who would do that? _And why could he see it so intensely as if he was the one who did _

_it? _

Yet, nothing was on the news or in the papers, so it just had to be his imagination. Normal guys dream about

the women they want to fuck, the places they'd rather be then this puke hole of a small town, but not about

dead rabbits and now a family of 3 being killed.

_Why?_

He almost jumped, which was undesirable in its own right, when Forman coughed in his sleep. Hyde couldn't

relax his body, the dramatic sensation was gone, but there were 3 dead people in a house, a house just like

this one. It wouldn't be in tomorrow's paper or on the news. _The mother and father were stabbed, the daughter_

_ was strangled, and he fucked her before he killed her._

_With hands like his._

His thoughts were interrupted when Forman had to get out of bed to take a piss.

"Well, you don't need to tell me about it, man."

It was slightly amusing to Hyde when Eric bumped into his desk before finding the path to the door.

His stomach pains went away, but he still had a slight headache, when his friend was done peeing he was

going to go in the medicine cabinet and take 2 aspirin. He'd have preferred to go downstairs in the basement

and smoke another joint, but he didn't want to push his luck. Maybe, he was psychic and could see glimpses into

the future. But why just the violent ones?

How about an image of Miss America 1976 in the shower, the answers to a test he wasn't about to study for, or

what the songs would be on the next Led Zeppelin album?

"Took you long enough."

Hyde slowly got up, he felt okay as he bumped into Eric on the way out of this claustrophobic room.

Forman mumbled something as he went back to bed.

The off-white linoleum tile was cold even in his socked feet as Hyde locked the door and turned on the sink. Mrs.

Forman had a little nightlight on the shape of a butterfly that gave the room a peaceful glow. He put his hands

in the water and went to splash his face and for a split second he saw the blood _on hands like his_. He knew he

wasn't fully crazy, maybe a little bit; you had to be with fuckwads like Edna and Bud Hyde for parents.

But they were REAL people and they were dead.

It was just another burden to carry, another secret that was his alone that he couldn't share with another soul.

He took the white towel off the rack and wiped his face. He looked in the mirror; he almost did a slight double

take, yet no one else was there. _Only him_. He folded the towel back on the rack instead of throwing it on the

floor, as this wasn't his house. He actually cared about the people who lived in this one. He actually cared about

a lot of people. It was a given with the men, you'd joke around, burn each other, but you were always there for

your friends. You had their back just as they had yours. It was an unspoken code. Unless you were Forman who

always wanted reassurance that he was a special snowflake.

The women on the other hand, well depending on who it was, you were allowed to show your concern. Where

were these feelings coming from? But even Jackie, did not deserve anything bad to happen to her. Hyde had

feelings for Donna, but she was going to wind up dating Forman, because he was the all-around nice guy. He

was full of shit when he denied liking her in that way. The whole school knew it, even the new foreign kid that

they nicknamed Fez because they couldn't pronounce his real name knew it. He opened up the medicine cabinet

and in-between Red's tube of Ben Gay and Kitty's bottle of Geritol was the bottle of aspirin.

_They're next_

Hyde ignored the feeling and put the sink on again and from the yellow holder that was glued to the wall he

took out a white Dixie Cup and took the aspirin.

It was always good to be medicated.

He threw the cup away in the wastebasket and went back to the bedroom. He wasn't going to sleep tonight,

not after these visions. At least tomorrow was a Saturday and he was certain that Mrs. Forman would let him

and Eric sleep in. You mean that there was a mother who actually made homemade blueberry waffles on the

weekends? Forman was sound asleep. Of course, he wouldn't have any nightmares or visions that scared the

Hell out of him.

This was his burden, not to share with anyone; _he just wished that it would stop._

That unknown, but still actual, family was dead _and the blood that he could see in all its bluish purple glory was on _

_hands like his._

**Author's Note: I know this concept has been done before, but never by me, and I don't think in our '70s **

**section. Thanks to nannygirl and Marla's Lost for all of their help. **

**And if anyone would like to join our '70s fan fiction forum the link will be in the review section. Please read**

** and review. A writer needs feedback. Thanks to all who have read this far.  
**


	2. Function

**Chapter 2**

**Function**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 8, 1987 (Sunday)**

**Before 4 p.m. **

The typewriter was an 1978 black IBM Selectric, it was a graduation gift. The sound of the keys from the printer

ball was just as soothing as the Pink Floyd LP (_The Wall_) that played on the stereo in the living room. The

weather was beautiful, sunshine and 80 degrees. It was picture postcard weather. The slight wind made the

long white curtains fan out. You didn't need to be in a stale air-conditioned room with the gentle ocean breeze a

few yards away. Yeah, he made money, he really didn't care, the only thing that Hyde slightly cared about was

finishing his article for the 'zine , that was only half of the reason why he could afford a place like this. The

smoke from the Lucky Strike burned in the green tartan patterned beanbag ashtray as he was on his 4th beer

before 4 p.m. He didn't want to think about it. It was 10 years ago today. He put his hand over his bald head to

shoo away a bee. His _Indiana Jones_-esque hat, a gift from those same people that bought him the typewriter,

hung on the rack by the front door. He hated when he couldn't concentrate on his writing. He finished the beer

and threw the bottle into the small blue recycling bin that was on the deck by the sliding glass doors. The sun

was bothering him so he put on his shades and went inside the house, but not before putting the ashtray down

on his stack of papers that were in a small wooden outbox as a makeshift paperweight. It was unacceptable to

catch himself sometimes still waking up to his own sight of his hands in the cuffed position and his ankles

crossed over.

_Still._

_Ten fucking years later. _

He knew he came out of this with PTSD, as did his best friend. He didn't need a shrink to tell him what he

already knew.

Those that survived traumatic events always were treated to _some_ after lingering effects.

_Shit happened_.

He needed to feed his dog; an eight year old German Shepard named Sid Vicious. This dog would _never _eat out

of a standard pet bowl or anything labeled 'dog food'. There was a whole set of china in the cherry wood hutch

that was probably all for the dog, because the rest of it was never used. Just like the 3 bedrooms in this house

were never used. Sid was a gentle giant; he'd never harm anyone, which may not have been the quality one

looked for in a guard dog, but as a pet, and a companion he was the best_. Unfortunately,_ his water dish had to

be a bowl, but at least it was made out of the finest crystal. The dog knew it was time for supper just by the

sound of the stove clicking on, he jumped up and licked his owner's moustache and ran to his chair at the table.

He was more like a person than a dog. The answering machine that was mounted to the wall had the number

10 in red LED display blinking. One of his favorite pastimes was turning off the ringer and keeping the answering

machine on, but at such a low volume, he'd never hear who was calling. He knew who the 10 calls were from, he

felt he could only call one person back tonight, he never wanted her to worry ever again, especially since she

was alone now. So apart from that obligation no one else was going to get a call back. Was it cruel? Maybe.

After all they were victims as well, but he just couldn't deal with the back-and-forth banter from HER and HIM.

They were a couple now so let it be done. He gave them his blessing; he broke up with her before that. HE had

nothing to do with it. Why did they need to involve him in the day-to-day matters of their existence? He just

wanted to them to get on with things and live their lives_. _

_They were all given that chance._

Hyde hadn't seen anyone in 8 years not since he broke up with HER. He tried not to think about how during that

time he was so worried about any harm coming to her and promised that his life would be different if he

survived. But then two years later, they were out of each other's lives. It's not like he didn't feel guilt about not

seeing the people he cared about. After the daughter's body was found, he knew, Red would never be able to

survive long after that. Hyde never forgot how he broke down in the kitchen when he had tell him the news.

They all wanted to believe that _that scum _lied, but when they found her luggage set in her closet that façade

was gone. You think he'd have put his pain aside, but he couldn't.

He was a selfish prick.

Red didn't have any verbal taunts in him, he was broken, as they all were. What was funny just wasn't anymore

and them moving to Florida with a settlement check from Red's lawsuit v. Pricemart for being wrongly fired didn't

change a damn thing. You could move to the moon and like a dog trying to bite its tail, it was for naught.

The ache was always there and when combined with the guilt all of the alcohol in the world couldn't numb the

hurt that he felt.

He did call Kitty every so often, just as he would tonight, but he couldn't hop on a plane and go to Florida. It

wasn't about the money, it was about the awkwardness, the scabs that never healed, and whoever said that

time healed all wounds was a complete and utter dillhole.

_Time healed nothing. _

If it weren't for the elder man, they'd all be dead and this is how he repaid them? This was how he honored his

father's – the man he always would consider his father – memory?

And of course, it was 10 years ago today, people forget happy milestones like the day you had your first kiss or

the day you were able to sneak out of the house and not get beat up by your Mom's latest boyfriend du jour.

The dog whimpered as Hyde went back to breaking the hamburger up with a fork and ignoring the messages on

the phone.

_He didn't want to talk with anyone. _

_Did he ever want to talk with anyone? _

When he took the dog out for his after-supper walk, he was going to go the tattoo parlor and get a third one,

this one on his upper left arm. He had an anchor on his right arm and a Red Cross logo next to it. The last artist

forgot to put the small ampersand between the two. He didn't know what design he wanted; _he just wanted to _

_continually alter himself._ Smoking a pack a day for 8 years gave his voice a slight raspy quality and he liked it that

way.

Even his professional name was changed just a smidgen, _because he wasn't that face, he wasn't that person. _

He should be one of the dead.

No, that wasn't right.

_He should have been the only dead one_.

Being on the road with various bands was a temporary fix and he knew it. The occasional groupie sex was cold

and only satisfied the physical part of his urges. He put the ground up meat on the mint green plate with the

white gold rim and went to get two bottles of non-sparkling bottled water out of the stainless steel refrigerator.

No way would the dog get tap water on his watch. He was not in the mood to eat today as he poured the water

into the crystal bowl.

_They were worried about him; he wished that they would just leave them alone. _

He was one of the few survivors in the worst 4 months of their lives. It wasn't his fault, but he carried that

burden around as if the opposite were true. He took another beer out of the fridge and knew he was the one

keeping the dog company and not the other way around.

**Unheard message #8**:

_Jesus Christ. You want to close everyone off for 8 years? Fine. But I didn't want you to read about it in the newspaper_

_ or see it on the TV.[10 second pause] Jackie [tears] committed suicide today and I'd have told you this in person but _

_no one has your address. If I didn't snoop in my Mother's address book, I wouldn't even have your phone number. I _

_don't suppose you'll attend her funeral. You didn't come to my Father's. [frustrated noise] Our Father's. You are such _

_a jackass. You weren't the only victim. _

_Fuck you, Hyde._

It was 10 years ago today when Steven Hyde was face to face with _himself._


	3. Subterfuge

**Chapter 3**

**Subterfuge**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**March 8, 1977 (Tuesday)**

It was 12:30 a.m. when he got hungry.

There was some left over chocolate cake left from the previous night's dessert, there was also vanilla pudding,

peanut butter, and 2 boxes of Girl Scout shortbread cookies. They were reserved for the older man in the house,

but he could easily blame this on his best friend and life would go back to its normal order. He decided to take

just 1 box of cookies and the last of the milk; it would be a good burn during breakfast tomorrow. He was about

to go downstairs to the basement to eat his snack, while he watched _The Late Movie_ before going to bed. It was

a school day and there was a report due, but he didn't even start writing it. Maybe, he'd buy his girlfriend

something tomorrow that was better than a cheeseburger wrapped in tinfoil. Something pulled at him, this

wasn't new, and there hadn't been any visions since last year before Easter when he saw that family get

murdered. It was just as he self-predicted nothing was reported on the news, print or television. It's not like he

searched it out or anything. He wondered why he was still standing there in the kitchen, he did own (more like

stolen) a Swiss Army knife, but what good was it when it was in his room on top of his dresser?

He felt he was being overly cautious over nothing, he wasn't afraid of the bogeyman.

Hyde didn't have look over his shoulder. Living at the Forman's was a different, better

experience than with Edna. She left him to have an adventure with some trucker, no money, just his clothes, his

stash, and a small amount of possessions that all fit in one cardboard box.

_His 17 years fit in one small lonely box.. _

They barely got by financially as Edna bounced from job-to-job either quitting or getting fired, whatever came

first. She would buy food with food stamps, but sometimes she sold them for liquor and other things that would

make one lose their inhibitions. They were always overdue on one bill or another, who needed electricity? It's

not like she used the stove often. Sometimes, there was no water and he would skip his morning classes and

used the Forman family shower because he hated being dirty.

Those were Edna's choices not his.

Even before he lived here, Forman would most always ask permission if Hyde could stay for supper. Sometimes,

it was the only real meal he had all day. No matter how tough the Forman's situation was (which still made them

middle class) Red would always relent and let him stay. He walked down to the basement and put the cookie

box and glass of milk on the washing machine.

"Anyone here?"

He was almost afraid that he asked that out loud.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air, kind of like when the air is ripe for a thunderstorm and then there's

nothing but a space waiting to be filled.

Maybe, he was about to have another vision. He felt fine. It was usually the pain that would come first. He

would move the TV around so he could sit in the green lawn chair, instead of his self-claimed white kitchen chair

that he preferred.

_Think you're so smart, don't you?_

Hyde didn't have the appetite for the milk or the cookies anymore. That was going to boomerang back to him

later. After 20 minutes into the movie he couldn't keep his eyes open and fell asleep in the chair. The

uncomfortable, another feeling Hyde's hated, chair with the interwoven plastic pieces poked at his back and that

was why he woke up. He figured he better put the TV back in its proper place when he noticed the box of

cookies and glass of milk that were on the floor next to him missing.

"Forman, are you attempting to burn me? I'm going to kick your ass."

Just as Hyde wheeled the TV back to its normal spot, the glass rolled out from what seemed like nowhere and

stopped at his foot. He picked it up and placed it on the dryer. Sure, he could've run like hell up the basement

stairs and then up to Red and Kitty's room, but he was a man, he didn't need any help.

_Find me._

He heard that call and it wasn't a threatening one, but rather full of promise. Not wanting to back down and just

wanting this feeling over and done with he walked towards the shower. The plastic aqua curtain was almost

never completely pulled back, come what may, he walked towards it and pulled it so hard that he thought it was

going to come off the silver hooks, the empty box of Girl Scout cookies was open and crushed in the shower

stall.

He quickly spun around on the heel of his boots, and no one was there. Maybe this was how people slowly went

mad.

_[This isn't Forman]_

_No shit, but you're still stupid like him. _

_[Show your face]_

_That's not necessary._

Hyde walked to his room and that was when the dread really rose up from his stomach to his throat and that

was before he noticed the trail of shortbread cookie crumbs. He hurriedly turned on the light switch.

Nothing was there.

He was going to sleep with his boots on tonight. His possessions were on his homemade shelves and dresser;

his clothes that didn't make it inside of the dresser were on the floor. Mrs. Forman made sure he had a nice, big

comforter, as the basement was the coolest room in the house.

He sat on the edge of the bed. Mrs. Forman, it was always Kitty who encouraged Red to follow his heart and do

acts of good, that they bought him a bed at one of the discount stores in Kenosha. Kitty didn't like Hyde to

sleep on a cold military issued standard cot, because for some reason Red always wanted to keep Laurie's room

open. There was a rumor that she was flunking out of the University of Wisconsin, to Red that was always going

to be his Baby Girl's room, too bad that baby was the slut of Point Place and beyond. Did every father see their

daughter's as pure snow fallen Angels or was Red just blind to his "favorite" child?

The blue comforter was thrown over his head and he still didn't scream. He was half-expecting this and was

oddly content to let it happen. He wasn't going to amount of anything, but he was surprised to see that he

fought back.

This time the mental images were real and he was scared, he couldn't deny it to himself.

Hyde peeled off the blue comforter it smelled like cigarettes, weed, and aftershave and that was why he would

take it to the laundromat instead of adding to Kitty's many responsibilities.

He was convinced that his heart stopped beating when he felt two strong male hands go on his shoulders, he

briefly closed his eyes, he didn't want to see what he already knew in his heart was true. He grimaced his face

when this person kissed his neck and he could feel his hot sticky breath on him. Hyde opened up his eyes and

saw _the hands like his_. He was tempted to scream, _but this was not anyone else's problem, but his own._

"Who are you?"

He couldn't move.

This person gave him half of a tortoise shell colored compact mirror. _It belonged to that girl from last year._

_[Me?]_

Hyde couldn't process it all or react fact to what was going on. He dropped the mirror to the floor when the

highly soaked chloroform cloth was placed over his face and he collapsed.

The doppelganger picked up the mirror and looked at the reflection staring back at him and darkly smiled,

"This is going to be fun."

**Author's Note: The '70s timeline is not the shows, but rather mine, so Jackie and **

**Hyde are together in 1977 as well as other events that will be mentioned later on**

**in the story.  
**


	4. Deception

**Chapter 4**

**Deception**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**March 9, 1977 (Wednesday)**

**7:30 a.m.**

"Eric," Kitty said while she stirred the usual scrambled eggs in the frying pan, "Would

you go downstairs and check on Steven?"

"Don't I get to sit down? I just woke up, Mom."

Red grumbled and shuffled his morning paper, "Do you need a wake up call? I have a

special alarm clock. It's called my foot in your ass."

"Fine."

"And nice going dumbass on drinking all the milk and taking a box of my Girl Scout

Shortbread Cookies!"

"I did not…."

Eric went to sit back down, when he saw Hyde come in from the doorway. What was he his fucking keeper?

He was a grown man.

"Good morning, Steven! I was just about to send Eric down looking for you."

"I'm fine, Mrs. Forman. I didn't feel like going to school until I smelled your delicious

scrambled eggs." He kissed her on the cheek, _she was feisty, he liked them that way._

Eric smirked, it was just a little too early in the morning to be sucking up to his

parents.

They already loved him more than their own biological son for God's sake.

**20 minutes later**

Eric was upstairs in his room combing his hair so he'd look just right when he saw Donna

before the homeroom bell. He was taken aback when Hyde came into his room; he never

came up here anymore, not since he found that spare room to sleep in or he only came up

here if he needed someplace to hide his stash. Because Heaven forbid he got in trouble

with his father. Eric didn't know why, but he was internally pissed off with Hyde at the moment.

"Jesus! You scared me."

Hyde sat on his bed, "Apparently, it's not going to take much."

"Why are you up here?"

Hyde usually stood by the Vista Cruiser and waited for Kelso and Fez so that

Eric-The-Good could drive all of them to school, except for Donna and Jackie. Bob drove Donna in

the Pinciotti Cadillac Eldorado, because he said that "Eric only had one thing on his

mind" and they picked up Jackie along the way.

"I didn't finish my English assignment." he sighed

"That figures! You can't copy mine, it's a report!"

It's not like it was math where it was facts and figures and you could purposely get a few

wrong.

"Forman, relax. Can I look at your paper for ideas?"

"I would think you would have thought of a lot of ideas….What scares you? You can talk

about your deadbeat parents for a start," Eric thought he went too far and would get a

punch on the arm for that comment. But Hyde didn't hit him. He usually would hit Kelso

for saying the same things.

Eric supposed that was the mark of a best friend.

Hyde laughed when he opened up Eric's binder, "…spiders, bugs, snakes, angry dogs,

stern fathers….." He closed the binder with one quick snap as Eric took it out of his

hand. Hyde hated it when people went through his things, so what gave him the right

to look in Eric's binder?

"And I suppose nothing scares you? I dare you to write that. See what grade you get from

Mrs. Sowers."

What a timely assignment.

**In the Vista Cruiser**

Eric wanted to hit Hyde in the head with a brick; he never liked to talk in the mornings

unless it was normal guy conversation about beer and boobs, and all he did was wind up

Kelso and Fez to talk about their stupid English papers.

"Nothing scares me! I'm invisible." Kelso exclaimed.

"Invincible, Kelso." Hyde/Eric said in unison.

"Whatever! I'm a people person, especially when those people are built with bumps in all

the right places! And the Peterson's got a new dog! A border collie!"

"I can tell you what scares me, a world without candy or naked ladies!" Fez chimed in.

Man were those guys vapid.

**7:10 p.m.**

The red head was gorgeous, but a little too self-righteous for his taste. And she loved this

_Star Wars_ fan wimp named Eric Forman? He couldn't wait to see her naked. The little

brunette took off her jacket, and stomped her feet as she walked towards him.

"Steven! You have a lot of explaining to do!"

Said Lucy to Ricky.

"What?"

"You didn't meet me at the Hub after school like you said you would."

"I had to work at the Fotohut."

That Leo was one zoned out easy target, but there were more important things to deal

with than a drugged out ex-hippie.

"You told me yesterday that it was your day off!"

"I made a mistake," Hyde motioned for her to sit on his lap, "Would I ever lie to you,

Jackie?"

She kissed him on the lips. "I can't stay mad at you, Steven! Before Michael and Fez

come back from the Hub and get jealous, let's fool around in your room…"

"You read my mind."

"Then we're leaving!" Eric said

It was handy wearing sunglasses inside so he could look at Donna's firm ass and not have Jackie notice.

"Bye." Donna replied

This would work if he pictured the firey-head beauty with the luscious chest and deep, for a girl, voice.

It was no wonder that she was WFPP's best part-time female DJ.

_[Don't kiss her! You motherfucking piece of shit]_

_Go fuck yourself. _

"What's wrong, Steven?" Jackie asked, she hated not being the center of attention.

"Nothing, babe." Well, his eyeball pinky ring was size too small and it hurt like Hell, but it was nothing that he

couldn't fix later at least the wide leather banded watch fit better.

His clothes were about a half size too small, kind of like when you leave a shirt in the clothes dryer for too long.

She put her arms around him and kissed him, he usually would let the kiss linger, almost afraid to let love in

because of being rejected by everyone in the past. Tonight, he gently pushed her on the bed. It was too soon

to force her to do anything that she didn't want to do.

"Do you want to….?"

Normally, Jackie would have wanted the 4 star dinner at the 4 star hotel, flowy lingerie, candles, a banner that

read Jackie + Steven Forever, but she learned from her relationship with Michael that those things were not

necessary. She still thought a banner would be cool. It didn't matter where they were as long as they were

together, she couldn't think of a better place to make love with Steven for their first time.

The Forman house was where he felt the most secure.

"Y-yes..." Jackie couldn't speak another word, she couldn't believe that Steven and her were going to make

love for the first time.

She never slept with Hyde before and he loved every second of it. This was going to cut through his other

half better than any knife ever would.

"I love you…." he whispered, you didn't have to mean the words, they just had to believe them.

_[fuck]_

**12:00 a.m.**

The real Steven Hyde was blindfolded, bound, and his mouth taped with universal

duct tape in an unknown location. He was used to the hunger pains, that must have been

what all those years were for living with his Mother were all for. His tears stuck to the handkerchief/blindfold.

_Who was that guy? He looked just like him. _

_What was he doing to them? _

_Could he possibly have a twin brother?_

_He didn't want to look deep inside of his soul for the answers to this. _

His eyes burnt from the dust and his tears. What was he going to do Jackie? Donna?

Forman? Kelso? Fez?

What about Mr. and Mrs. Forman?

If he was in here blindfolded, with his arms and legs tied with rope and his mouth shut with duct tape, _they _

_were all in danger and there was nothing he could do about it._

He just hoped that they could figure out something was wrong before it was too late.

"Hello, Me."

Hyde refused to scream through the tape and even after it was ripped off.

"I thought you'd be hungry, so I brought you something from Fatso Burger." The

doppelganger sat next to him and broke off a piece of hamburger, he was going to treat

Hyde like the dog he believed him to be, "Nope, not yet, boy." He tasseled Hyde's hair,

"You better be good, if you want your friends to live…..especially Jackie….she's

pretty…she's annoying, but the way she kisses a man, I can see why you love her…..

You know I fucked her right? Oops, better not try to bite me, you won't get any food, and

I was so nice buying it and all," he took a sip from the plastic cup of soda, "root

beer."

The twin laid next to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Not going to talk during our special bonding time? _You know what, it is going to be a_

_pleasure to get to know each and everyone of your friends."_

**12:30 a.m. **

"That Steven is so wonderful!" Kitty exclaimed as she dotted on her night cream.

"Kitty, can you turn off the light? I'd like to go to bed sometime this century."

Bob and Midge wouldn't leave the house and kept them up for hours playing cards on a

weekday. It was going to mess with Red's schedule for tomorrow, or he should have said

today.

"When I'm done putting on my face cream."

"What did he do?"

"He gave me his whole paycheck today. He told me he didn't need it. Steven must have

overheard us talking about the plumbing."

"I'll do what I always do, put it in his account at the bank."

Kitty was right, he certainly was "a keeper", well minus his habit of smoking those kinds

of cigarettes, he just wished that Eric would make such an offer with his paycheck, instead of

wasting his teenage money on the red-haired neighbor girl and dolls. Sometimes in Red's

eyes Eric could be one very selfish and ungrateful son indeed.

Sure, Steven was rough around the edges, but it certainly wouldn't kill Eric to be more like

him.

**1:00 a.m.**

The doppelganger returned home.

All of the lights were off except for Kitty's strategically placed night lights and the light above the garage.

Everyone was here and snug in their beds. He could go upstairs and kill them all, they'd never know what hit

them.

It wasn't the time.

He sat in the white chair in the dark, thinking who of should be first in his little game of

human chess. Who could he do away with first that wouldn't rise up their suspicions? He cracked his knuckles as

he grabbed the bag of candy that was on the spool table. He undid the silver wrapper and put the mini

chocolate square in his mouth. The answer was pretty clear. The twin smiled as he took another piece of candy

out of the bag.

"Bye, bye, Fez...I said goodbye."


	5. Desolate

**Chapter 5**

**Desolate***

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 8, 1987 (Sunday)  
**

Hyde tried to rewind himself to where he was before he heard message #8, message #6 was his chance to fly

to Canada, with his tape recorder and typewriter. _What could be done about message #8?_

_Nothing._

Now he was going to have to bail on his obligatory phone call, because she'd

make him go somewhere that he didn't want to be. _If they weren't in person, they couldn't make him. _It was

for the best. He hands slightly shook when he took Sid's leash off the small hook next to his bookshelf. He

never would have put a leash on the dog, but it was for his 4-legged friend's own safety. If one kept moving,

the realities of message #8 would not come bubbling to the surface, like leaving a sauce pot full of milk on the

stove with the lid on at a high temperature. It was a short distance to take the dog for a walk and to go get

some fresh ink on his left bicep.

The dog cried as if he wanted to talk to his owner.

"You worry too, don't you?" He pet his head.

Hyde grabbed his wallet out of his inside jean jacket pocket that was draped over his desk chair, and of course,

the clear plastic picture insert fell to the ground.

_I don't want to look…._

He took out the pictures and he figured the least he could do was look. The first picture was Jackie's freshman

year class picture. She wore a black dress with its now gaudy '70s floral motif. She appeared like a child, such a

little girl who was in such a damn hurry to grow up that she went after the older guys. She didn't need the

mascara and lipstick. Of course, she was a conquest to Kelso. He might have loved her on some friendship level;

it wasn't for him to judge.

She wrote on the back of the photograph in her bouncy happy writing with the heart circle to dot the 'i' in her

name.

_Steven, _

_Thank you for the prom. _

_Love, _

_Jackie _

He went to the other picture Mrs. Forman took. This one was of him, Kelso, Forman, and Fez as they were on for

their second trip to Canada to get beer since the first trip didn't work out, the Forman's thought they were

seeing a concert in Milwaukee without the girls.

He cut around the Forman backyard so the picture would be the same size as the others ones he

carried. Then the other picture was the combined present from him, Forman, and even Laurie (probably with

the money she stole from Kitty's purse) to pay for Red and Kitty to get their photographs professionally

done for their anniversary. Mrs. Forman loved it, and Red was off the hook for having to remember, although as

Hyde recalled, he did take her out to the Vineyard for dinner, so his gruffness was mostly just a dog and pony

show.

The next picture in the line was on Mrs. Forman's assistance that after Red and Kitty got their photographs

taken that she was going to put in the extra money, but then Red said he would pay for it and would everyone

please shut the Hell up so they could have their damn happy family portrait. Kitty knew the opportunity to get all

5 of them in a formal photograph was as a rare as a snowstorm in July in New York. They all seemed happy,

even Red. Forman wore a green sweater with his white shirt with the light brown checks underneath.

_He ain't heavy, he's my brother_. **

He wore a black suit with a green tie that Kitty surprised him with, "because every young man needs to have a

suit, Steven!" and she laughed and made all of them cookies and hot chocolate when they returned

home. Mrs. Forman gave all of the kids (and Bob) the extra wallet sizes to keep.

_Damn it. I'm not going to cry._

Hyde changed the order. There was Donna in her last class picture taken in February of 1977. She put a fancy

barrette in her hair and she wore a lilac colored blouse with a scalloped neckline. She was feminine and soft

when she wanted to be. He remembered that there was a time when he did love her, or at least he thought he

did.

_To Hyde, _

_Thank you for being one of my best friends. I treasure our late night talks at the water tower. You keep Eric_

_ in line when he needs it. _

_Love you, _

_Donna_

_p.s. Future class of '78 PPH._

_Go after your dreams. _

_You Matter. _

God bless her for ending her paragraph on a lie.

The last picture was Jackie again and she looked so mature than the first one and it was only one year later.

She wore her hair up and he loved the ringlets that framed her face. Her dual colored blue and green eyes

sparkled even in the 1 dimensional photograph.

She was so beautiful.

_Fuck. I don't want to cry. _

_Dear Steven,_

_I know I'm not the easiest person to love, but thanks to you I'm learning to not be so superficial. And you're _

_letting love in. See we are meant to be together. I will always love you, more than a touch can do. More than _

_words can say._

_You will always have my heart._

_I Love You, xoxo  
_

_Jackie._

He let the photos fall out of his hand.

Hyde didn't realize Sid was gone to sit by the entryway. He grabbed the lamp and forgot that it was plugged

into the wall when the cord loosened itself and the chunky square plug popped out of the socket, he threw the

lamp as hard as he could against the wall.

The pleated white glass base broke into a million pieces, as did the light bulb. The lampshade landed on his

unmade bed. The dog ran in to make sure everything was okay.

Hyde picked up the photographs that were on the plush white rug and stacked them like playing cards in his

hand, before swiftly ripping them in half.

He silently gasped, horrified at what he had done, Hyde put them in drawer of his end table later, he would

tape them after he cleaned up the lamp, but first he and his faithful companion had to get out of here before he

completely lost his mind. The artists at the tattoo shop loved the dog, so he could spend all night there getting

wasted and one of the girls would take him out for his nighttime stroll.

His "trick" was to be a walk in, not that he wasn't above anyone else and didn't want to make an appointment.

He figured if he had some small brand of niche fame in the underground music scene that he might as well take

advantage of it. There were worse things he could do than to walk into his regular tattoo studio without a

precious appointment, he was a journalist (from the school of hard knocks) and author S.J. Hyde after all.

Tonight was going to have to be quick as he had made his decision. He had a job; he couldn't just walk away

from his professional responsibilities. Of course, he'd go to Canada, he was always able to take Sid with him, it

didn't surprise him how easy he was able to get laid having his loveable German Shepherd with him.

It wouldn't be right to be there and have people think that he was the man that they would all feel sorry for

and then disappear under the phoniness umbrella of "anything you need" and "call anytime" and not Forman.

It was all down to whatever one needed to say to themselves so that they could all sleep at night and

Hyde realized his that his whole life was nothing but a big lie, but it was how it had to be.

**Author's Note: *Chapter title from Marla's Lost**.

****Lyric by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. **

**Hollies version (1969)**


	6. Forsaken

**Chapter 6**

**Forsaken***

**March 30, 1977 (Wednesday)**

**12:00 a.m.**

Once the blindfold was removed Hyde knew exactly where he was. His old house

as if it was supposed to mean something to him, it really didn't, and it wasn't going

to start meaning something to him now just because he was kidnapped by psycho twin

brother.

"Home sweet home, brother."

The old couch where Edna used to fuck her boyfriends and where he would do the same with

random slutty girls pre-Jackie because he didn't want to use his bed for that purpose.

It smelled like urine from the various animals that came in from the broken windows.

There was a small hole in the boards and an even bigger one in the left hand corner where

someone threw a rock.

And the last time Hyde drove by here there was a condemned notice on the property, but he didn't

know the date of demolition.

_Why back here?_

"I don't feel like undoing the tape on your mouth yet….I bet you're thinking…why back here? This

place has a charm about it…as long as you don't mind the rotted furniture and the

cockroaches. It really doesn't look all that different from when I last came here….."

_You came here?_

"You're thinking, I came here? Yes, I did. In more ways than one. Edna thought I was

you. Even though she gave birth to twins….and I only had 1 pair of sunglasses that

didn't look like yours….didn't have your watch or your ring…and yet, _she never _

_questioned that it wasn't you. That's true Mommy love._ Do you want to know how I

killed her? I bet you do…..this is a good story. I'd make popcorn, but we have no

electricity, oh, it's just like the old days!"

He sat on the couch and put Hyde's legs on his lap.

"Let's see…right before you went to live with those wonderful sickening

Forman's…..guess what? I put a sleeping aid in Mrs. Forman's tea….and it worked! I'm

so handy like that….."

_You bastard_

"I am a bastard and I know it. Let's see…close your eyes, this is a great bedtime story.

Edna was in the kitchen putting together the slop she calls food…on those rare days she

cooked…..I just stood there, I didn't have to do much…she called me useless and hit

me upside the head…I put my arms around her and for a minute there I thought she

wanted it, I mean she's a whore, right? I pointed my gun at her and she thought she could

fight back, so I had to beat her up a little and then I shot at her foot…..you could never

tell with the mess of a floor that it was blood…could've been ketchup. She said she was

going to call her boyfriend at the time to take care of me, it was magic, I threw her

against the wall, and I told Mommy we were going to have sex in the bedroom…but I knew

I couldn't shoot her, not here….that woman you thought was Edna on the phone was

just some chick I met who kind-of sounded like Mommy, who I told to call you….cause you're a stupid

moron….anyway back to my story…I fucked our own mother….and she thought it was you! She never thought it

was the twin she gave away….why is that? You probably think I'm sick…and guess

what maybe, I am…Ssh…don't tell anyone, okay?"

His twin ripped the tape off; it was a great sensation like popping bubble wrap.

"You can talk now, sweet brother."

Hyde's eyes got wide. "You killed Edna?"

"No, she thought you killed her, that is after you raped your own mother. Shame on you,

Steven."

He wanted to throw up. As much as he hated his mother and he wished horrible things

upon her person all the time, she did not deserve to die in such a cold and callous way.

"You're sick."

"You really don't get it, do you?"

He had the same habit of taking off his sunglasses

when in deep conversation, "You are so dense if you thought Edna went off with a

trucker…if I tell you where the body is you might think differently. When it was over,

I strangled her, wrapped her in a carpet, and dumped the body in Michigan…I even

took your place once before, try and figure out when!"

"You are beyond insane! Even Edna didn't deserve that end…."

"Aren't you noble? You don't know when I took your place? I did when you and your

idiot friends got arrested for being in a stolen car. I had lemon squares from Mrs. Forman,

I cased the house, bonded with Red because "_my life was just soo damn hard_", and I took

one of your shirts. When I realized I could actually get away with being you…. well, here

we are today in this glorious house! Then I stuck around lurking when Eric came home,

he actually told his father, he was in jail, Red didn't believe the wimp, so there you

go…..I knew I could be you…living the dream!" He tapped Hyde's kneecaps.

"You could just kill me now….isn't that what you're going to do anyway?"

"In time….I just thought we should have some brotherly time in this house….it's nice,

ain't it?" He went to kiss him on the lips.

"Fuck you…" the only thing he could do was turn his head away.

"Now there you go…here we are having this nice time….and I was going to tape your

mouth back up, now I have to take my lighter out of my pocket and burn you in places

that won't be noticeable. …..I don't want to do these things, brother. _Why do you make_

_me?" _He took out the red plastic Bic lighter out of his side jeans pocket as Hyde tried his

best to not let this fucker win by giving him absolutely zero satisfaction.

**April 1, 1977 (Monday)**

**1****st**** day **

**1****st**** victim**: Fez**

Hyde was driving his El Camino under the impression that he and Fez would cruise

around looking for chicks with self-esteem problems. He parked the car behind the vacant

house on Sherman.

"Why are we parking here, Hyde?"

"You didn't see her, man?"

"Who was Fez supposed to be seeing?"

He deserved to die just for that annoying way he talked in the third person sense.

"How did you miss the rack on that chick that walked by?"

All of the neighborhood kids used the empty to pool to make out in the dead of night;

they couldn't bring their kegs since they were busted after Jackie's mother showed the

house a while ago because the police were on the lookout for underage drinking parties.

The house was still on the market.

"It must have been when I was checking the stuffing in my new tight pants!"

"Okay, that's too much information, let's get out of the car."

He watched as Fez ran ahead of him.

"Hyde! I found something better than a chick with a big rack…. a bag of candy in the

pool! Lots and lots of candy, it's a dream come true!" He grabbed his find and decided to

eat his goods.

Hyde sat on the edge of the pool watching his friend.

It was only a matter of time; he rubbed his hands together for warmth.

_April 2, 1977_

_Point Place Chronicle_

_Foreign Exchange Student Dies of Drug Overdose_

_Found dead in swimming pool in the vacant house on Sherman_

_Page 3 _

**Author's Note: *Chapter title from Marla's Lost**.

****First fatal victim of the basement gang, but not the first victim of**

**the doppelganger.**


	7. Inked

**Chapter 7**

**Inked**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 8/9, 1987 (Sunday/Monday)**

Hyde looked at the thick black volume of tattoo samples in quiet. They knew not to bother him, not because of

any fleeting concept called fame, but because that was his M.O. and they recognized it. Sure, thanks to the

news and media there were people who would ask, "Weren't you the one who?" not the person who

interviewed an under-the-radar band who had some much publicized shenanigans in Times Square that pissed

the over 45 crowd off, but also the overly religious sect as well. No, it was the, "Wait…you kind of resemble….."

kind of resembled? That was as ridiculous as it was insulting and since his metamorphosis as someone different

entirely it did start to wane like a moon phase. His faithful dog Sid was in the backroom being spoiled rotten by

the owner's mother Gladys, who knew of and respected his instructions. The 2 artists were working on their

customers as the smoke from his cigarette rose up from the big green glass ashtray. He pushed his sunglasses

up as far as they could go. The owner had one dog a little black pug named Murphy. He tried not to let it bother

him as the small dog devoured that gross smelling dog food up from his little plastic red bowl.

It was so fucking degrading of a spectacle for the dog let alone the human.

_Are you defying me? _

_-No, leash. -_

_Snap – Chains on a leather band bouncing off the decaying bathtub that was filled with the waste that couldn't _

_be disposed of._

_The stench of the environment made him go in and out of consciousness._

_Let's see if you'd like to go another 2 days without the food or water that I provide.  
_

_Where's my brother dog? _

_No tricks…no treats._

If it weren't for the sound of the idiot in the chair screaming over the needle, Hyde would have stayed frozen in

his confined thoughts. He thought if the customer was only going to scream don't get a tat, unless they were

liquored up.

Dumbass.

There was always something, an event, smell, piece of clothing, a simple song, anything that could bring it all

back. It might as well be 10 years ago and his best friend thought he was a jackass. Okay, maybe he was a

jackass, but not for the reasons they thought. _Everyone had him so clearly defined which was impossible_

_considering he didn't even know the whole person he was. How could they all possibly know?_ He knew what he

wasn't, but he was on a desperate internal search trying to find out who he was and where he fit in, in this

world. He walked up to the desk and took a piece of unlined white paper from the pile and a pencil from the

pot leaf shaped holder.

The Indian sitar themed music stopped and there was this dead silence where the music should have been. He

sat back at his spot at the table and proceeded to draw. He started in light strokes, but as he regained his

confidence back after his mind betrayed him by the past.

The pencil marks started to get more enhanced. It was an Angel wing, he hoped it was feminine enough, but

then again, did gender matter in Angels? He drew a tiny 8 on the edge of the left wing.

If it was on its side it could be the infinity symbol. He wasn't sure what he wanted, but on

the edge of the right wing he wrote his best cursive 'J'.

Going to Canada would be good for everyone involved. It was how he justified no visits on holidays or other

special occasions. It wasn't good for anyone if he was there; deep down they had to know that.

"Hey, S.J." said Siobhan one of the artists on duty.

She had bright pink hair in a pixie cut and she wore a dog collar with diamond shaped stones around it .

_On purpose._

But she was cool _and she didn't ask any questions._

That's why Hyde was hoping if he timed it right, she would be the one to do his tat and not Mick who always

tried to push the standard skulls and roses types of tattoos, not that there was anything wrong with them, but

they were reminiscent of the mainstream bands that were now in the the Top 40 or wannabe copycats.

Siobhan was the one who did the cross on his right arm and she actually read what he wrote and talked to him

in intelligent sentences, but they never crossed a line with each other and she referred to him by his

professional name. "What can I do for you today? I'm almost done," she leaned in to whisper, "with Mr. 1st

Scaredy-Tat."

"I'm still working on my sketch."

"Okay. See you in a bit."

He went back to the paper. What was she thinking wanting to go out with a no-good person like himself? She

might still be alive today living her upper-middle class dream of being a housewife and mother in the suburbs

trying to keep up with the Joneses if she just stayed away from her constant schoolgirl fantasies. Hyde didn't

doubt Forman's love for her, and that really wasn't the issue. It wasn't about love. It was about the choices one

made in their youth and her thinking it was all about forever at least Donna didn't have those notions like

Ja-Jackie.

He let his mind flex on her name.

Donna knew a woman couldn't be defined by rings and the men acting to keep them a certain way,

Forman wasn't going to want Donna to achieve her true potential, because her true potential was to get the

Hell out of Point Place and to have the career that he did. He often wondered if he chose the roads he did as

tribute to his friend? Hyde wasn't big on ceremony, but the mind works in ways that he couldn't fully

understand, it amazed him, when it didn't frighten him.

Hyde was going to let Siobhan determine whether or not if the 8 should be the number or the infinity symbol.

Hyde was a good customer and important to a certain genre of music that when the crying tat guy paid and left

she gave him a bottle of beer.

He could use one; he hadn't had a drink in an hour and a half, maybe it would stop his brain from going

down roads he wished would stay closed.

"Thanks. You were done quicker than I thought you'd be."

"That's because we had to stop."

"Just out of curiosity, Siobhan, what is he getting?"

"A skull with a scroll ribbon with his Mother's name on it."

"Cliché/Cliché" They both said in unison

She laughed, "What did you want done today?"

He showed her the paper, but was not about to go into any other details over his sketch.

"Cool…."

"I did have one question," he finished his cigarette, "The number 8 or the infinity?"

"I like the idea behind the infinity sign."

So did he, but he wasn't about to verbalize it.

"Do you think we can finish this tonight? I'll decide later if I want it to have color. I have to be at the airport early

tomorrow morning."

"Where are you going, S.J.?"

It was going to be the right answer to her, that's what no judgment was all about, "Canada…."

"Then let's get you set up," she directed Hyde to the chair as ever the faithful Sid came in after eating his steak

on a plate and sat at the floor joining the little pug Murphy to watch Hyde get his latest dose of fresh ink.

He couldn't wait to feel the prickly feeling of the needle on his skin, it was going to sound strange coming

from his psyche, but then he wasn't surprised by it at all. It was an ache that he could control that he had to

satisfy in the recesses of his mind that so desperately needed to feel the sensation of physical pain.


	8. Lust

**Chapter 8**

**Lust**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**April 5, 1977 (Friday)**

**12:00 a.m. **

Donna buttoned up her blue coat, even though it was April, the nights were still chilly as she headed up the

rocky path. She knew exactly where Hyde was. Of course, he wasn't going to publicly grieve with the rest of

them, that's just how he was. They all should have realized that. There was a rumor going around that Fez was

suicidal, but Donna thought that was insane. Fez loved life. He loved coming to America and being a foreign

exchange student. He enjoyed hanging out with his friends, eating heaps of candy, and trying to be a suave

and silky ladies' man, which might have gone against Donna's feminist principles, but he was still a good guy, if

slightly goofy, well thanks to the gang of friends he hung out with. They were all in shock over Fez' passing.

For him to have OD'd on drugs was so out of his character that it concerned her, but she didn't want to worry

her friends about that detail.

For some of them it was the first time they experienced a loss, or a loss of a friend their age. Donna knew she

would find Hyde at the water tower. They would always have the best and private conversations up here,

where they could trade stories without any judgment or ridicule. It's not that she couldn't have deep

conversations with Eric, it's just that, and she loved him dearly, he was too limited, too sheltered, even though

Red was strict, he still loved his children. He just expected more out of them than either the aimless Eric or

promiscuous Laurie could give him. Donna noticed Hyde staring into outer space, probably being lost in his deep

thoughts and silently grieving over the loss of his friend. They might not have known Fez as long as they have

all known each other, but he was still part of the gang. Donna sat next to him and playfully punched his upper

arm.

"Hey….."

_Where does she get off hitting me like that?_

He really could use a joint; the twin absolutely hated that circle time. They were all so lame and he couldn't

stand it. Was his brother's intent to make them see things in a different way? Eric was a wimp no matter how

you sliced it. Whether he was "influenced" by Steven Hyde or Donna Pinciotti. It was all fake. The way he

wanted to be the unofficial leader of the group, by doing that, he was no better than the rest of them.

He was still a hypocrite under the guise of coolness and Zen, Steven Hyde was quite the literal example of

smoke and mirrors.

"Hey, Donna, do you want a beer?"

What he really wanted to do was to throw her off the water tower, tear off her clothes,

have her way with her, and then bash her skull in against the rocks. That couldn't happen

tonight, so he figured what better way than to continue with linking their chain of trust.

"Sure. How are you? I can't believe Fez is gone."

She pulled the tab off the can, she certainly could use a drink.

"I'm okay."

He felt the knife inside the pocket of his brown plaid jacket.

What he couldn't believe was the hypocrisy of the Forman's. Red always had a xenophobic put down for the

foreign kid and yet he took charge because his host parents were typical Bible thumping deceivers and didn't

want to do a thing. Kitty organized a viewing for them and his school friends (only one other person who wasn't

part of the basement gang showed up, he heard), before the authorities shipped his body back to his home

country for burial. If Hyde weren't such a loner, he'd have stayed to watch the spectacle. But he needed to stay

focused. They were all so dim. He couldn't believe it, every single one of them from the ex-Navy man Red to the

semi-narcissistic doofus Kelso.

They all thought the world revolved around each and everyone of them.

It was the typical middle class American mindset. They would only help others, but only if it somehow fed into

their enormous egos.

Did his brother really think he was all that special?

No. Kitty took him in because she wanted the pat on the back for doing something wonderful.

It was all her ego. They were disgusting. He wanted to kill them all.

"I know. Fez was so young. I feel bad for his family back home."

"Whatever."

Why was Hyde being terse with her? After a few beers he would usually reveal something, even

the circle was different, Donna couldn't place her finger on it. Hyde really didn't joke around with them like he

used to, he just seemed to be an observer to what the rest of them were doing.

"Are you sure you're okay, Hyde?" Donna asked

"I'm fine. Words aren't going to bring back our _dead _friend."

Is this the swill that she wanted to hear? Jesus H. Christ. He looked at his watch; he didn't have to worry about

paying a nighttime visit to his brother as the medicine, he had stolen from Nurse Kitty, would make him

unresponsive for a few hours at least. He stood up, he didn't want to break curfew tonight, but he had news for

Red that was soon going to change. Sometimes, he could come in as he pleased depending on what time Red

went to sleep, as Kitty and the wonderwimp had their set bedtimes. He knew the kids would get a break from

most of their behaviors during the grieving process, how nice of the adults, but what happened next month

when he chose the next person from the friend's list?

Would they develop their backbones then?

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

Donna couldn't believe she was going to ask this, it must have been a condition of her sadness from losing Fez;

she was more of a secure person than this.

She was going to sound like Eric.

"Hyde, are you mad at me?"

The light switch triggered on and he slowly sat back down.

"Why would I be mad at you, Donna?"

He put his hand on her knee.

The doppelganger knew all about the early days of Hyde pining over Donna. It always paid to case a house

before putting your plan into motion and reading his lame secret diaries were also a help.

"I know you're not much of conversationalist, but you aren't usually so abrupt with me."

"Look Donna," he took his hand off her knee and placed his arm around her shoulder, "I'm sorry. This is hard for

me too. You'd be wise to let Red and Kitty know about this."

"Sure. I'm sorry, Hyde," she rested her head on his shoulder, he felt hard, "Really."

"Ssh, Donna. I didn't mean to imply that we weren't friends, you mean a great deal to me."

He moved closer to see what would happen and placed his lips on hers. Would she accept the kiss? Would she

care about her feelings for Eric? Would she care about stabbing her reluctant best friend Jackie in the back? She

put her hands on his shoulders and brought their bodies closer.

_Where's that conscience you all have?_

"Oh, H-hyde," she pulled away_," there it was_, "I'm sorry. I'm with Eric and I love him. And you're with Jackie! We

can't…."

She stood up, her face a mix of forbidden lust and shame.

"Donna…" he replied softly

"We're just mourning the loss of our friend….I learned about it in school…..Let's not tell Jackie or Eric, okay? It

was just a friendship kiss, yeah."

It was slightly amusing watching her backpedal. She said her clumsy goodbyes and left him alone at the water

tower as she found him.

_Oh, Eric, your girlfriend is quite the whore. _

_And in honor of our foreign friend, I will take advantage one day.  
_


	9. Lucid

**Chapter 9**

**Lucid**

**Somewhere on the Canadian road  
**

**March 11, 1987 (Wednesday)**

The house was red brick and with white window shutters it looked like a postcard from New England. There

were a few inches of snow on the ground. It went up to his calves, but there was no cold to the snow.

He took off his glove and put his hand in the snow. It didn't feel like anything, it wasn't warm nor cold.

_Great. _

_This again._

There was a dog house also made of brick that matched the main house next to the

two-car garage, but there was no canine friend to be found.

_What's the point of this?_

He went in the house, it was once lived in, there was a stereo in the foyer with big long speakers. There was a

yellow post-it note on the Barbra Streisand album_, Lazy Afternoon_

That record sleeve was on top of the one speaker, the record on the player.

_S,_

_Gone to the store. _

_xo – J_

_Okay, if it's anything it's Houses of the Holy. Not Barbra Streisand.  
_

He went through the odd mix of albums.

_Abba – Arrival_

_The Who – Who's Next_

_Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run_

_John Lennon – Mind Games_

_Captain and Tennille – Love Will Keep Us Together_

_Here's the next post-it note_

_S, _

_Still at the store. Car broke down. Will you pick me up?_

_xo - J_

The last album in the stack, _Led Zeppelin – Coda_

Where were the rest of the records? He opened the cabinet that rest of the vinyl were supposed to

be in and all of the little yellow post-it notes came flying out as if they had weight to them.

_This was new._

_Fuck._

_Why are you leaving me at the store?_

_My car is broken down._

_Don't you love me anymore?_

_Help me._

_Help me._

_Help me. _

Changing the course he went up the green-carpeted stairs where he could hear static from the TV in their

bedroom. It was the white snow pre-digital age effect from when the TV stations lost their reception.

_You hate me._

She sounded like she was embedded in the walls and her voice went all in a deep rumbling slow version

like a 45" record on a 33 1/3 setting.

_Why didn't you help me?_

_Why didn't you save me?_

_Still at the store – trying to find your stupid cereal._

_Pick up the kids at the dentist._

_Can't you do that? _

_You want to wake up, but what if I don't let you. _

_I hate you. _

_I hate you._

_I hate you. _

_You think it's fair that you still get to be alive…_

_You don't deserve to be alive. _

_You have the face of a killer._

Hyde opened his eyes and clutched his pillow. He took a deep breath and wished his heart would stop beating

so fast. It took a moment to gather his thoughts. He was on a tour bus and it must have been past 4 a.m.

because there were no groupie moans or the sound of bottles and cans clinking to be heard.

Nor was there a smoke filled haze. Of course there were a few guys that preferred coke. He turned on the other

side to make sure that he was alone.

Sid was asleep on the floor next to him. He had no memory if he did have faceless and loveless sex,

he didn't drink that much, not compared to the guys in the band. Hyde never wanted to lose control and he

hated those lucid dreams, he could only change the locations somewhat, but the results were always the same,

Jackie needed to be picked up from the store and she had to remind him that he deserved to die and that

he had the face of a killer.

_Did Jackie really feel that way?_

_Did she really think he abandoned her?_

One of her stressors was sometimes, not purposely (Forman did this to a lesser extent), would twitch in his

presence. They didn't see him, the person they knew since childhood, they saw the sinister one. The killer, the

psycho, the destroyer of everything he held dear including his own sanity. There was a small paper bag in the

drawer under his bunk.

The type that a kindly elderly person would put penny candy in at the five and dime, that's when he

didn't steal it. His brand of misdemeanors and felonies were almost nothing, it's not like he ever once thought to

rape and murder. He wasn't evil and no matter how often he tried to change his outer appearance, he still

felt that he looked disturbing.

It must have been Edna's pretty blue eyes….Mrs. Forman would always try to make lemons out of lemonade.

How he missed her so.

It really was the right thing for everyone involved to have him go away and be out of their lives.

Inside the bag, was a small clear plastic baggie, always a good thing. At least this band didn't have a reputation

for being on law enforcement's radar, he hated the cops, but when you desperately needed one, they were

having donuts and coffee 3 blocks away. Don't look for any odd behavior in the neighborhood. There were his 2

laminate passes and a small clear plastic box the type that could hold a deck of playing cards. There was a note

on them, a yellow post-it note. He half-expected it to be from Jackie demanding that he pick her up from the

grocery store. All it said it was in unfamiliar writing_, you might be interested in these._

_Killer Kardz_

From the title card he should have known better than to look through the deck.

_The Familiar:_

_Ted Bundy, scheduled to die on death row. _

_John Wayne Gacy, He had his photo taken with former First Lady Carter._

_Charles Manson, why was he always listed? He wasn't a serial killer. He was a brainwasher who used drugs and mind _

_control techniques to have others do his dirty work for him in order to start a so-called race war.  
_

Still he had his place in the deck of Killer Kardz, with a "K" and a "Z" so you would know it was authentic.

Who would sell these cards, but most importantly who would buy them?

Why were they glamorized as if they were celebrities?

They had fans; he knew about this underworld, he used to read all of the letters that came down the pike, were

they from damaged souls like his other half or from perfectly normal people? Perfectly normal people don't think

serial killers are cool. He remembered the one letter addressed to him, on yellow lined legal pad paper, written

in black crayon.

_Awesome work. _

Yeah it was so awesome that Fez, Kelso, Laurie, Donna, and indirectly Red and Jackie were all dead before their

time thanks to his brother. That was so awesome. Himself, Eric, and Kitty were suffering through their own

existences because what his twin did was so fucking awesome.

People fucking sucked.

Most them anyway.

He almost forgot about his mother, Edna wasn't a saint before and she wasn't going to be a saint after. He was

sorry for what happened to her, but that was it. There was also that foster family in Baltimore, Maryland. They

did exist and their murders were not awesome. Oh goody, new cards added, and it was obvious someone had

gone through the deck because the alphabetical order list was gone.

Yes, give that scum his own trading card.

Let him have a _fan base, _because that's who children needed to admire, awesome serial killers. He hated looking

at the face that used to be his and his alone. How nice of him to have a class picture.

There was one for the yearbook.

Each card had a victim list on the back, if they had more victims than space, there would be a special double card

with a hologram star on it.

One families pain is another person's collectible.

_He still couldn't pronounce Fez' real name but not for lack of trying._

_Lauren Ann Forman_

_Edna Hyde_

_Michael Kevin Keslo_

_Benjamin Michael Mason_

_Judith Lucinda Mason_

_Meredith Anne Mason_

_Donna Marie Pinciotti_

If the greedy nitwits in a smoke filled back room thought of making Killer Kardz, why didn't they make cards that

honored the victims, the people that didn't deserve to be killed by such an awesome serial killer? Not that he

really liked the idea of victim cards either. It was the principle of it all. He flipped the card back over those eyes

had no life in them and he hated that face most of all.

_His face._

He put the cards back in the case and into the paper bag. Hyde didn't know what he was going to do with them.

He really wanted to publicly (and he hated being above the radar) sue them, but it was their first amendment

right. It was downright sickening to make a profit from families nightmares. The bed was too small for Sid and

Hyde almost wanted to sleep on the floor, he'd have done so, if he was the only passenger on the bus. He

wanted to sleep, but couldn't sleep. He was lucky if he slept 4 hours a night, that was considered a good night.

Not counting the times he was over intoxicated, because that was the false sense of sleep, and it certainly

wasn't a restful slumber. Hyde didn't think he'd fall asleep so quickly; it must have been the hum of the air

conditioning unit and the movement of the bus along another road to nowhere.

He was in that same familiar house. Hyde called out her name.

"Jackie…."

The house morphed into a house from the early '60s and he could feel his body get smaller, his walls

disappearing, his innocence personified.

_This is a good feeling. _

There was a woman with her back turned, her reddish-brown hair put up, the table was simple there was a

place setting for two grown-ups and a smaller table with two tiny chairs next to them. She took a peek from the

kitchen curtains. The woman laughed, she was happy, as she dropped the big mixing spoon in the pancake

batter.

_This feels right. _

She opened the window and happily rose her voice, she sounded like an Angel, "Buddy, you're going to be late

for work! Breakfast is almost ready."

The back door opened and her husband with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up was playing a game of

morning catch with his twin sons.

"I think we have two major leaguers here, honey." He kissed her on the cheek, putting the baseball and

catcher's mitt on the counter.

_I wish this was real. I never laughed like this…_

_A pretty mother, an attentive father, who loved their family._

_Did I just die? _

Edna would let her precious twin boys eat their pieces of cut up pancakes with their hands. That's what being a

child was about, to let them explore and have fun to experience the feel of the sticky syrup on their little chunky

toddler hands.

A gift from God they were.

"Buddy, you didn't finish your breakfast, the bacon is almost ready…"

"I'm going to be late, honey. I love you."

_They kissed each other on the lips._

"I love you, too."

"And I love my boys….Daddy will see the both you later when I come home from work."

_Kisses and hugs._

"Bye, Daddy!" the two of them said as they smashed their hands in the syrup making squishy sounds.

_I wanted this moment for forever._

"Do you love me, Mommy?"

_I need to know._

Edna picked Hyde up, "Yes! Oh Steven, very much so. I think I better wash you and your brothers hands." She

kissed him on the top of his curly head.

_Why is he so quiet?_

_Please don't ruin this…..I don't want this moment ruined._

The doorbell rang and Edna turned off the stove so the bacon wouldn't burn. She moved the pan to the back

burner so the boys couldn't reach it and get hurt from the hot oil.

It was her neighbor Kitty Forman with her cute little boy Eric in tow; she was carrying a yellow plastic measuring

cup.

"Hi, Edna, I need to borrow a cup of sugar…"

"Of course, Kitty. Come in. Don't you look handsome, Eric."

"Hi, Mrs. Hyde."

"Where's your sweet little girl?"

"Laurie is playing at a friends house."

"Eric, would you like some homemade blueberry pancakes and bacon?"

He looked at Kitty, "Of course you can, Eric."

"I want to show Steven my new race car!"

Eric pulled the small red car out of his jeans pocket.

_The twin is gone._

_Is Edna going to blame me?_

_It is so nice feeling love from my parents…I'm not going to let this play out…._

Sid's barking woke up Hyde up; _he wiped the tears from his eyes, totally unacceptable._

He was 27 years old and a journalist on a rock bands tour bus.

Hyde sat up and moved to sit on the side of the bunk, so he could pet his dog for comfort.

"It's okay, Sid, it was just a dream I had…_Only a dream."_


	10. Mauled

**Chapter 10**

**Mauled**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**April 24/25/26, 1977 (Sunday/Monday/Tuesday)**

Hyde hated this.

It was understatement considering the gravity of it all, but on those nights when his brother laid next to him, it

made him feel so uncomfortable. His twin covered them up with a white top-sheet; the smell of fabric softener

was the best scent his nose detected since he didn't know how long. The red, white, and blue flowers almost

made his heart happy. It was something familiar and it did give him some warmth. He was so cold. It was April

at least that's what the date on the newspaper was.

Hyde didn't want to believe the headline about Fez being poisoned. The bastard with his face said to watch the

paper for the next headline. Hyde begged for some soap and a pail of water. He hadn't had a bath since this

whole mess started and each day he lost a piece of his dignity in the process. He was never untied; the only

thing that was undone was the tape on his mouth.

"Why are you sad?"

Was he kidding?

Just another visit from the psychotic half?

"Steven, I like to cuddle. Doesn't this feel nice?"

"Don't you think it's odd if another one in the group dies so soon?" Hyde asked, he

couldn't help smiling out of a sense of relief when a packet of wet wipes was thrown at

him.

How was he supposed to open this with his hands tied up?

The doppelganger kissed his brother on the lips. "No offense, but your breath is putrid."

_[Geez, I wonder why?]_

_I can hear you. _

Hyde turned his head away. It was all he could do. He missed the joy of the scent of Mrs.

Forman's fabric softener on the sheet at least today, he didn't have to beg like a dog, but he

was going to get the hot bla-_oh fuck_…..he stabbed him in the leg, just below the

knee. The pain was immense the blood didn't even gross him out. His twin could just kill him now and do the

world a favor. The sheet that Mrs. Forman bought at the Sears white sale was ripped in violent shreds. How

could he tear that? Was Hyde too weak and that bastard too strong?

The doppelganger pulled the knife out and it hurt way worse than when it was put in, but he wasn't going to

say anything not a word, and he was trying his best to not think at all. His brother tied the piece of sheet

around his wound. Hyde didn't have time to process being confused, his mouth open as he watched his twin

give himself the same injury in the same exact spot. His twin had a sensual smile on his face like he just got laid,

he let out an orgasmic groan as he pulled the knife out from his wound and wrapped his leg in the same way

that he did Hyde's.

He picked up the knife and put the dull end across Hyde's face staining it with the mix of their blood, he

decided to kiss him on the lips before putting his finger down the blade and as if it were cake batter brought it

up to link index fingers with his brother. He put his blood soaked finger in Hyde's mouth; he wouldn't give him

the pleasure of a gag. Then he slid Hyde's finger on the knife and brought his brother's finger to his mouth.

"Now we are blood brothers."

Hyde didn't know if 5 seconds or 5 minutes went by when heard the familiar rip of the tape and his mouth being

silenced again, but he was glad for it this time.

The taste of the blood was awful.

_[Why?]_

"None of your business. Did you know your friend Kelso loves dogs? I love dogs too…" He scratched at his hair.

_[No]_

He hoped that Kelso wouldn't suffer, that it would be over with as quickly as possible. He anticipated that

someone, anyone would realize that it was all connected and would they please piece it together? How could

they not know, even if this scum had the Steven Hyde persona down, surely someone would realize that it

wasn't really him.

What about Red?

"Are you saying no to me?"

He straddled his body over Hyde and put his hands around his neck, "You will do what I say…..because I will

skip over Michael and go straight to Jackie…and because we share a bond, you'll be able to envision it all…." He

tightened his grip, but not too firm, "You want me to kill you now, don't you, Steven? Well, it doesn't work like

that…..when I tell you to do something, you better fucking well do it!" He knew he couldn't punch him in the

face, so he belted him in the stomach instead.

Then he took his fist and punched at his own stomach and put strategic cuts in his shirt and then pulled at them

to make holes.

His psycho brother already violated Jackie, he couldn't have anymore harm come to his beautiful girlfriend, the

gauntlet was down once more, he would do it. He would do whatever this sick, twisted asshole wanted him to

do as long as Jackie was safe.

As long as Jackie, Donna, and Mrs. Forman were the ones who were spared.

**12:33 a.m.**

He knew this was going to happen, the light was on the in the kitchen. It could've been the spunky housewife

making tea for someone's upset stomach. He positioned the rear-view mirror on the El Camino and closed his

eyes for a moment to remember where he was and how they couldn't know anything yet. Nope, his first instinct

was right, it was Mr. Red Forman, who thought he had the upper hand in this house. Maybe, with the others he

did. He closed the slider door and grimaced his face, because the pain in his leg didn't really hurt at all.

"Steven! What the Hell happened to you?"

"I gave Jackie a ride home after our date," always start on the truth, "And some jocks came up from behind

me before I could get to my car." He stretched his injured leg out on the other green kitchen chair.

"This would not have happened if you didn't break your curfew again. Dumbass! The rules don't just apply only

to Eric, they also apply to you too."

"Yeah..."

"Why do you smell like dog food?"

"They threw me in the dumpster behind the grocery store. I was just lucky that they didn't take my car, they did

take $10 bucks though."

"I don't want to hear anymore, you're grounded for a month, and take a shower before bed, because that scent

is just unpleasant!"

Red exited the kitchen. The doppelganger couldn't wait for tomorrow, Kitty would fawn all over him and he

would get Kelso to skip their last class so they could play with the new dogs. Like hell, he was grounded.

_Like fucking Hell.  
_

**2:00 p.m. **

"I thought you said we were going to the reservoir." Kelso said.

He didn't care about missing class, he was still reeling from one of his friend's dying that cutting class and

getting wasted seemed a good way to spend an afternoon.

How come Hyde didn't want Forman to come?

"I need to talk to you, man. It's very important."

"Uh, okay…"

Why would Hyde want to talk to anyone about anything?

He clutched his hands on the steering wheel, his pinky ring cutting into him, just half

a size too small.

"It's about Jackie."

"What about her?"

"She wants you back and I'm not going to fight you for her….."

"If I knew how to tone down my good looks I would!"

"Of course you would. Before we go drinking, let's go down Pine Street first, I heard the

Jefferson's got a new dog!"

"Really?"

The car was parked, "Go ahead, behind the fence there, I'll wait for you. I have nothing

better to do."

He didn't even question a thing.

Earlier this morning during another scrambled egg breakfast, Mrs. Forman wondered

why one of her good top sheets was all torn up, but after he explained

that he took it in case Jackie got cold during one of their dates, and needed to make an

emergency bandage to stop the bleeding she ate the excuse up and pampered him with

an even bigger breakfast and a kiss on the cheek for having survived

being beaten up by a gang of roughians. Red just reminded him in front of her and Eric

that he was grounded for a month for breaking curfew.

"Okay." Kelso exited the car. It was big of his friend since elementary school that he

would push himself aside, _so that he could, as the most deserving after all, have Jackie_

_back._

It was pure luck that he found those mean dogs; dogs weren't born that way, much like

humans, they were a product of the environment, a person with a psychotic mind isn't

just born that way….

The screams that went unanswered as the boy who loved all of god's creatures, but

especially the canine ones, was music to the twin's ears as they tore him apart,

so much for being the most handsome boy in the state.

_Point Place Chronicle_

_Local teenager mauled to death by stray dogs_

_Page 3_

_Second youth to die under mysterious circumstances_

_Page 5_

**Next day**

_Fuck. Kelso. Why were you so stupid?_

Hyde pushed the newspaper away from him with his boot. He could only imagine the

pain everyone was going through. He made all sorts of deals with a God he didn't believe

in. If the boys had to be murdered, as horrible as the thought was, just please spare Jackie,

Donna, and Mrs. Forman.

His muscles were relaxed, even if he was untied, he couldn't fight back he was too

weak. What was he putting in his food? He injected him with something once before

but he didn't know what it was.

"Hi, Me." He had no feeling on the lower part of his jaw where the tape kept getting

put on and ripped off.

"Fuck you."

He kicked Hyde in the stomach. "If I were you, I'd show some respect. Just for that, I'm

going to skip over the nerd named Eric Forman, for now, and go straight to one of the

girls, which one should I kill next? That's after I have sex with them, willing or

not….."

"They have to be suspic," Hyde put his hand on his stomach, it was all he could do. He

knew what a steel toed boot felt like, "They have to be on to you."

"They're so stupid, even the smart ones, that's what's fun about this," He smoothed over

the Jimmy Page t-shirt with his hands, "I even love Led Zeppelin too."

Hyde hated seeing this bastard wear his clothes; they did seem a little small on him,

_please won't someone catch on_. Surely, Mr. and Mrs. Forman had to know something

was up.

Red had no love for Fez, but Hyde was certain he'd be shocked over his death, and Kelso

was a kettlehead…..he and Kitty had to have been just as shaken. What conversations

were Eric, Donna, and Jackie having right now, right now that his doppelganger was here

and not in the basement, what were they talking about?

_Please piece it together._

Jackie couldn't stop crying.

Her and Kelso might have been broken up, but he was still a friend, part of the group, and it wasn't even a

month that Fez' dead body was being flown back home to -

"Jackie," Donna called out as she ran up the stairs to either hug Red or to upstairs to the

bathroom whichever happened first.

"I just can't believe it, two of our friends are dead within weeks of each other." Eric

said.

Donna sighed, "I know….Hyde seems even more distant…"

"But isn't that always Hyde? He never shows emotion really. Why would he start now?"

"Eric, can you stand to be by yourself for a few minutes? I want to talk to Jackie."

"I'll be fine."

He wasn't scared, well maybe a little. When Donna left the room he made sure the back

door was locked. Red even put a new padlock on it.

Donna knocked on the bathroom door.

"C-come in…"

She flushed the toilet; she knew she was going to throw up. She wiped her face

with the white hand towel that was on the rack.

"Michael was my first love, it was horrible how he died. He loved dogs!"

Jackie turned on the sink and washed her hands.

"How's Hyde really taking things?"

"I don't know, he doesn't talk much…but I think he has wanted to break up with me

for a long time, but now that Michael is dead he changed his mind."

"What makes you say that?" Donna asked

"_His kisses are different…he's detached, it's like he's another person._"

**4 hours later**

The twin smiled internally as Jackie came into his room because she "wanted to talk"

about the status of "their relationship".

"How's your leg?"

Who would do this to her boyfriend after their date?

"I'm fine."

"Steven, I want you to know that if you want to break up with me, it's okay. You don't

have to stay with me because 2 of our friends, especially Michael, are dead."

He walked towards her and held her hands, "Jackie, what makes you say that?"

"I can tell. You don't kiss me like you used to."

They only made love that one time and she wondered what she did wrong.

_Bonus points for the cheerleader._

He put his arms around her and pulled her close, "Let see if I can change your

mind."

The twin thought of Donna taking a hot and soapy shower that always helped him

get into the mood of pretending to love this one.

"Hmm, that's nice…I think you would feel better if you talked about things."

"You know me, Jackie, what's to talk about? I'd rather spend all day making out with

you to prove to you that I am the man you feel in love with."

"What happened to your finger?" She noticed his pinky ring was cutting into his skin.

"Nothing, guess, I'm gaining a bit of weight," he tickled her sides so she'd lose her

concentration and go back to kissing him.

As long as he stayed focused on the red head of the group making out with Jackie was

an easy task to accomplish.

**11:45 p.m.**

When everyone was safely tucked in their beds, Donna and Jackie in their respective

homes, while Red and Kitty were upstairs in emergency talk mode, worried about the

safety of their precious family. The doppelganger popped open the switchblade and kissed the blade with

soft steady lips.

"Curfew this…."

_1 day later in the Point Place Chronicle_

_Vandals go on neighborhood tire slashing spree_

_Page 3  
_


	11. Stalled

**Chapter 11**

**Stalled  
**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 16, 1987 (Monday)**

**3:00 a.m. **

The rain started to come down in little droplets at first, but now Hyde had to flick his windshield wipers on in his

black 1973 Chevy Camaro Z-28 as the storm got worse. It broke his heart, as did many things, to get rid of the

El Camino. After a few tries, it was too tainted, so he bought a used Camaro. After all these years it still ran

pretty decent. He really wanted a pick-up truck, but there was those nagging thoughts in his brain that

prevented him from owning one. Instead of being on the road in Canada, thanks to ego-trips, drugs, in fighting,

and the drummer sleeping with the bassist's wife, he was now back in Santa Cruz with Sid the faithful having to

do grocery shopping after midnight when the crazies, bring them on, and the tokers who needed munchies were

out. To top it off there was some kind of paperwork mistake and he had to get another physical to be allowed

for international travel. He just had a fucking doctor's appointment not too long ago. Whatever. Now, he had to

be at the store when he really just wanted to be curled up in his bed, because there wasn't much food in the

house since he was going to be away for 2 months. He had no sleep at all last night as a little voice kept telling

him,

_smile_

_give the quarter and smile. _

_don't be afraid._

Whatever that was supposed to mean he had no idea. Hyde realized he took liberties in bringing Sid inside with

him; he wasn't a service dog, yet that's exactly what he was. He wasn't going to leave him alone at night with

the windows up on a stormy night. Besides he was a well-behaved dog and he wasn't the type to run and jump

on people and bark incessantly. The dog was almost human. The store wasn't that crowded, he figured, he

could be in and out of here in 20 minutes. He did need to use a pushcart since he had to replenish all of the food

that was eaten or just thrown away. It was more for the dog than himself really. Did he want to go through the

trouble of examining oranges and then put them in a little plastic bag? It was easier to buy the orange juice in a

carton. He didn't know why he seemed on pause, but then he heard the sound of a soft and even female voice

that was trying to stop a few heads of lettuce from falling on the floor.

"Thank you," she said, looking up, "I guess I grabbed the wrong one."

She thought he had the most beautiful blue eyes.

"No problem." Hyde replied. This woman was striking in her simplicity. She had dyed blonde hair fastened in a

ponytail and bluish gray eyes. She was wearing a modern nurses uniform, with a pink sweater, white shirt, an

RN Caduceus pin, white pants, and white clogs.

"Is this your dog?" It was always on the 12th of never when a handsome man even looked her way, so she

wanted to enjoy this moment, "He's cute."

"Yeah. His name is Sid. You can pet him he won't bite. Sid say hi to the nice lady…."

"Holly," she wanted to bend down and get a lick on the cheek, she missed her dog, the only bright spot from her

childhood, but instead she rubbed the fur between his ears. "And you are?"

He hated his name, but what could he say to the nurse? He respected them more than the actual doctor's.

"Steven Hyde."

Whether out of a professional reflex action or just trying her hand at flirting at 3 in the morning in the grocery

store she extended her hand, half-surprised that he shook it with a firm, solid handshake. Her happy hour rum

and cokes wearing off, but hell even the dog seemed to nod in agreement.

"Nice to meet you." Holly felt that she sounded like the professionalism and courtesy chapter from one of her

textbooks.

Tomorrow was St. Patrick's Day, but it seemed stupid to bring it up, so she just continued to push her cart,

surely they'd be going in different directions and then she could go back home to her lonely, yet safe,

apartment.

Did he have to stop at the deli counter as well? She figured getting a deal on Swiss cheese was not worth a

broken heart over to get, so she turned her cart around when this mysterious Steven Hyde person was telling

his order to the older graying gentleman behind the counter.

_She's afraid too. _

Hyde swatted at his shoulder that mosquito was driving him batty.

_I'm still here. Nah-nah-nah-nah. _

The butcher had a fondness for dogs so he gave Hyde an unsealed package containing 2 roast beef slices.

Something that never would have happened in 1987 during the mainstream shopping hours when most of the

stay at home housewives did their shopping. That's when he noticed nurse Holly, she never did give her last

name was gone.

She got to see him without his sunglasses on.

"Oh fuck," Hyde whispered to himself, "Please say he didn't….."

There were people, harmless as they were, who were more annoying than an Angel slash mosquito that haunts

your thoughts. He was definitely on a munchie run, first one should always be prepared – you don't need to be

caught driving 2 miles an hour, and second, he knew that scent anywhere, plus he would try to keep him talking

for hours.

"Hey…!" He almost dropped his packages of cheese curls and jar of salsa. That sounded like a gross

combination. "How are you, Mr. Hyde?"

"Good."

"Guess who I met when I saw you last. I'll tell you! James Hetfield of Metallica in Long Beach last June!"

"That's cool, Henry."

Henry Cook who he had the fortune or misfortune of meeting in an elevator when he happened to put his face

to one on the back of the book jacket he was carrying.

It was kismet. It was fate. It meant nothing to him.

He was a harmless fanboy who he wished at that moment would go away.

Why did that pretty nurse have to leave?

He enjoyed talking to her.

"Listen, I have to finish, you know the dog…."

"Oh yeah! I have to get some more snacks…..see you, Mr. Hyde."

And he didn't get this young kid's use of the Mr. social title was he that old to a person only 7 years younger

than himself?

Seven years does not a generational divide make.

"Glad he's gone." Hyde whispered to his dog.

_Can you walk faster? _

_You're not making my job any easier._

There were two broken jars of pickles in the next aisle, Hyde directed Sid to go into the next one. He didn't want

him to his paws cut on the glass.

Shit. They were going to meet once more, so Holly with her flushed cheeks did the side elbow trick to get the

Tampax to fall off the shelf and into her shopping cart to hide behind the lettuce and bottled water while picked

up a tube of toothpaste.

"We meet again." Hyde said.

"Small world. Gel or paste?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your toothpaste…"

"Whatever's on sale."

Spoken like a man, she presumed and thought she had to be the most stupid person alive, no wonder when

she wasn't drinking at the bar after work she stayed home and knitted.

She came. She saw. She failed.

How was it that she could start an IV, but not have the social finesse necessary to talk to a man?

_Speak to her. _

_She's a runner like you are. _

_You both have your reasons…_

_NO! _

_You be quiet! _

_She's moving to the next aisle because you nodded. _

Holly felt she was no good at personal conversation, so when she was able she went down the aisle and

backtracked to the deli to get her Swiss cheese, now he'd have the head start and leave the store before her.

_All right….you two don't get it. _

_Your Earthly egos are driving me crazy. _

_See you in the parking lot then. _

**20 minutes later**

Damn it. She wanted to cry. Her car wouldn't start and not enough money for the payphone; her auto club card

was in her other wallet.

Her hair was wet from the rain and the customer service desk was closed which was the only disadvantage to

late night/early morning shopping.

"Are you okay?" Hyde asked

He was about to leave the store when he noticed that Holly had trouble starting her 2-door Toyota sedan.

"I need to find a manager, there's a lock on this phone at the desk, and I don't have enough money to use the

payphone."

He found a quarter in his jean jacket pocket and gave it to her.

"Thank you. I'll pay you back."

He smiled, "Don't worry about it."

Hyde didn't feel right leaving her alone so he waited until she was done with her phone all.

"I need my auto club card to get a tow…."

"I can give you a ride," he hoped that wasn't too forward; maybe he should've just offered her taxi money

instead. "How far do you live from here?"

"Only 10 minutes, but I don't want to impose."

"It's not an imposition, Holly. Get your groceries out of your car. I don't mind."

She let her guard down for a moment grateful that wasn't alone in the dead of night. "Thank you, Steve."

_Whew. _

_I wish I could say my job is done, but alas it's just beginning with you two.  
_

_Buckle Up. _

**Author's Note: This chapter didn't come out as I hoped. Be kind.**

**But after all these years Hyde deserves a break.  
**


	12. Disposed

**Chapter 12**

**Disposed **

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**April 30, 1977 (Saturday)**

**1:45 a.m.**

The doppelganger couldn't sleep.

He might as well case this house again. You never know what "Mrs. Forman"

changed around. Steven Hyde actually loved these unbearable people? He quietly made his way up the

basement stairs just incase the Wimp of the house was sneaking a midnight snack out of the refrigerator. No,

the only lights were from the moon coming in from the sliding glass door and the small nightlight by the toaster.

He saw the driveway get brighter and an orange van with a diamond shaped side decorator window parked.

It looked like he was going to have something to do after all.

He headed upstairs. The twin took cover in Eric's bedroom, he could've killed the snoring idiot right then and

there, but it wasn't the time, but he didn't have to go far to satisfy his yearnings. The light was on in her

bedroom. He opened it to find the eldest Forman child, Laurie, home from god knows where. It looked like she

was heading back out; she was dressed in a black v-neck sweater. He poked his head in the door.

"Hello….."

"What are you doing up here, Orphan Boy?" He closed the door and locked it when she

resumed brushing her hair and didn't notice.

"I want you, Laurie."

He turend off the light.

"Hey! Yeah right. Get bent, Hyde." She twisted her face.

He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck hard.

It wouldn't matter if she wanted this or not, she couldn't be here when it went down; it was that simple,

besides he had the desire, so it was a delightful accident when she showed up.

She was a whore and they never turn down sex.

"Are you drunk, Hyde?" She stood up, her eyes trying to see if she should call his bluff.

"You're not leaving," He pushed her on her bed, "I'd rather you be willing….."

She was too dense to realize her life was actually on the line.

"Well," she smiled and put her hands on his shoulders, "I do like bad boys….and this

would piss Eric, Kelso, and my Mother off, so why not?"

"What about Red? You are a daddy's girl…."

"Maybe," she whispered seductively into the night air, "I'll let you spank me."

**After**

He really wished he could display them, he could have bludgeon her to death and the

wonderful screams of horrified parents in the morning would fill the air of this average house in Point

Place. Still, this girl was in the way and she needed to be disposed of. Laurie kissed him

on his cheek and got out of bed, she reached for her underwear she was now going to

need something new to wear if she was going back out tonight.

"You know, Hyde, you aren't so bad…I should've hooked up with you instead of Kelso. At least you're

smart."

"Kelso's dead."

She laughed, "Very funny."

He wanted to have fun with the whore before he killed her; she wasn't part of the plan, so

why not? "I'm not Steven Hyde. I'm his twin brother."

She didn't look up from her task of dumping the contents of her purse on her desk with only the

nightlight on and the curtains from the window pulled back.

Laurie was the master of sneaking out of the house at night.

"Whatever you are on, give me some to take to the party and I'll pay you back later."

He massaged her shoulders.

"That feels good, Hyde…."

"I killed Kelso and Fez…."

But she still laughed; she thought it was all some kind of joke.

A burn that they always embarked in.

"….and now," he reached for her yellow faux silk scarf draped over her mirror, "I'm going to kill you."

**Clean Up**

The twin picked up the lifeless Laurie from her desk chair and placed her back on the bed. He wished he could

keep her on display, but then his fun time would be over, and he so loved his fun time. He walked to the door

and opened it slightly; the risk of getting caught was acceptable. There were no noises coming from the hall, no

one was in the bathroom. He had to get her 2 suitcases that he stashed in Kitty's linen closet to put in Laurie's.

Let Red and Kitty, if they lived that long, to find them and complete the missing links. He took the

cosmetics that were on the desk and shoved them back in her purse. He put her purse around her arm. Let the

law enforcement wonder where her clothes were. It wasn't his problem. The doppelganger took her clothes that

were on the floor and walked to the closet to put them in the front zipper compartment one of her suitcases.

"It looks like Edna," he whispered to the corpse of the young girl who only wanted to steal money from her

mother and party with her friends, "is going to have a neighbor…you two can compare slut stories."

There was another big comforter in the linen closet that he was going to have go back for, he could roll her body

up in it easily and before he took off into the dead of night, before the sunrise, he would have to properly make

her bed. Looking at her digital clock on her end table, the twin realized he wouldn't make it to Michigan in time,

but there was a place where he could temporarily hide her body.

"Looks like brother dear is going to get another surprise."

**Games**

"Steven, I'm smarter than you!"

The twin came out of the kitchen and wiped his hands on his jeans. He decided to lay on the floor next to his

brother. "I changed my mind on something…"

Hyde only heard half of what his brother said, but the familiar sound of the tape being taken off his mouth woke

him up a little bit. His stomach hurt, he couldn't remember if his last meal was yesterday or the day before. The

doppelganger held Hyde's bound hands and kissed them. "If you somehow survive all this, guess what? You will

get to be the one to tell Red that I raped and murdered his only daughter tonight…"

"no….."

"Yes. I get the feeling you don't like me that you think I'm a bastard. I'm not…I'm doing this all for you." He

snuggled in closer. "If you somehow got away do you think your life would be any better? Do you think they

really care about you? They don't love you like I do. Do you love me? Please tell me that you do. You don't

want me to be angry, Steven, I already killed once tonight…..tell me that you love me."

"Iloveyou." Hyde thought if he said it as one almost undecipherable "non-word" that the issue would be

dropped and he could go back to writhing in pain, bargaining to no one, and praying for death in slumber.

"I can't hear you….please tell me that you love me."

"I love you."

He kissed his brother on the lips.

"Tell me that you love me."

Hyde knew where this was headed. He was weak, hungry, slowly going insane, and felt his dignity was long

gone. This could do go on all night or until his brother got bored. Red and Kitty lost their eldest child

tonight. None of them were safe; he didn't want to poke the bear anymore than needed.

"I love you."

"Tell me that you love me…..whisper it in my ear and kiss my neck."

The twin got closer still.

"I love you…"

"Keep going."

"I love you….I love you…I love you…."

Hyde was convinced that the only thing that stopped him from being sexually abused by his psycho twin brother

was that he was too filthy, too unkempt from not being allowed to bathe or groom himself.

His brother kissed him on the lips. "I love you, too. Do you love Jackie?"

"no…"

"Who do you love?"

"You…..I love you."

"I can't hear you, Steven…." He held his bound hands. "Do you love me?"

"Yes…"

"Do you love me?"

"Yes…"

"Kiss me…"

Hyde put his lips to his brothers and tried not let his real emotions penetrate through and to not think of

anything but of the staunch blackness in front of him.

"I love you, but you're still going to get the lighter because I know you're lying and that hurts me…I'm doing all

of this for you…and for what? So you can whisper sweet nothings into my ear and then proceed to lie to me?

Steven you got me mad and I don't want to get mad….I would prefer to get even….and I shoplifted a Zippo at

Price Mart…why do you make me hurt you? I really don't want to. You are a bad boy. You need to be punished."

Hyde closed his eyes, his brother would do what he felt necessary, he'd tape his mouth back up and he'd leave

for a few hours, when all he wanted was something to eat and drink. He would do anything even if he had to

play those dog games to get it.

"h—hungry…."

"Well too bad…. maybe if I don't come around for 24 hours you will have learned your lesson," Although, he did

have to come back to get Laurie's body out of the kitchen and take her for a drive in the El Camino to see the

decomposition known as Edna. "You hurt me, Steven, and for that, you will pay even more."


	13. Vitals

**Chapter 13**

**Vitals**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 20, 1987 (Friday)**

When she saw the matrix she wanted to run.

Her personal couldn't mix with the professional not there wasn't anything personal. However this was her

career and if it had to be done. Then it had to be done. It was just the 3 quick vital signs; she could do this in

her sleep. Steven Hyde wasn't just the man she met at the grocery store who gave her a ride home to collect

her auto card and drove her back to the store so she could meet the tow truck driver, he was now a patient.

She never said where she worked, so damn, this was all going to be so clumsy in the place where she felt she

had the most confidence. When this was over she was going to go in the smoking section and rip open her pack

of More's then afterwards she was going to do what she always did go to the bar for happy hour. She would

be a mix of disappointed and relived if this turned out to be a different Steven Hyde, but she wasn't here when

the patient arrived so there was nothing left to do but grab the folder from the clear white plastic holder that

was bolted to the door and hope that she got through this in one piece.

"Hello." She closed the door.

Damn. She wanted this to be true and now she was scared out of her mind.

"Hi, Holly." Hyde said.

This was a surprise. Their car ride was interesting they talked about music (she liked the same bands as him)

and her incessant apologizes that she was wasting his time. She stated that he didn't need to bring her back to

the store and he responded that he didn't mind. When the tow truck came she said her goodbyes and he didn't

think he'd ever see her again. But it explained the giggle fit the mosquito had that kept him up for all hours of

the night. It was better than what usually kept him from sleeping.

He wore an Aerosmith t-shirt, his usual, so he didn't have to worry about rolling up his sleeves. He

hoped a needle wasn't involved.

"I'm going to take your blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate today." She reached

for the sphygmomanometer.

This seemed too personal and she hoped he wouldn't cross the line. She touched him in

ways that were medically appropriate, but she still felt wrong doing so.

Hyde could sense her nervousness behind her wall of being medically correct. Holly did

what was expected of her, wrote things in pencil in the papers in his folder, told him that

Dr. Kramer would be in to see him in 5 minutes; she took his folder put it in the clear

holder thing and closed the door.

Holly was able to go in the restroom that was usually reserved for patients who needed to give the doctors

their samples in a cup and splashed the cold water on her face. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she

have been friendlier? She was even cold on her internal nurse meter. Should she apologize? No. She couldn't.

There was no privacy here and then she might be reprimanded by the doctor or worse written up. She couldn't

stay in here, so she wiped her face with the scratchy brown paper towel and went back to her tasks. Like a few

days ago, he'd leave and the next time he came back for an appointment, if she were the nurse in question,

she'd do a better job. She was happy when she was buzzed that she was needed elsewhere. Nurses were

overworked, but at this moment she was grateful for the system that was in place. She wouldn't have to worry

about breaking a cover or saying something wrong when he left. She couldn't mix the business with the

personal. It was a no-no in her profession and even though they met at the grocery store first she knew he

was a patient, it still wouldn't be right, no matter how gorgeous his blue eyes were.

**7:20 p.m**.

Hyde couldn't get nurse Holly out of his mind. Why was she so nervous around him? Did she like him? Is this

what the mosquito was trying to tell him? He had to go back to where he was earlier today to interview some

lame singer from a stupid band and felt a shift in the music industry. He couldn't write books on bands whose

music he thought sucked. These were his assignments? He took a drag on his cigarette and almost wanted to

throw his tape recorder into the fish aquarium that was part of the décor. He drank his beer when he noticed his

shy nurse sitting at the edge of the bar trying not to be noticed. Should he go over and say hi? She definitely

wasn't the sleep with and throwaway type of the scene got old very quickly. He left his things at the booth and

walked over to the bar as soon as the chair next to Holly opened up.

"Hi, Holly."

She appeared to jump out of her skin when she saw Hyde, Steven, birthdate 11/23/1960*, who lived in a very

nice district, but was not the snobby type at all, sit next to her.

"Hi, Steve."

She took a drink of her rum and coke. Her favorite drink, "You got lei-ed."

He almost did a double take then he looked down to see the green plastic lei around his neck that he forgot to

take off.

"It was the singer's birthday." He was invited to his official party, but he didn't want to go. Damn. Why was he

starting to get nervous? He cleared his throat, "Would you to like to join me for a drink?"

It must have been the buzz because she didn't remember the words "Yes" coming out of her mouth, but she

was sitting across from him in the wooden booth looking at the colorful fish swimming in their aquarium.

She didn't even know where the French fries came from.

It was the perfect trifecta, smoking, drinking, and greasy food.

Nurses were human beings too.

_Oh man, she's floundering. _

_You're too cautious because she isn't a whore. _

_I can't teach you two the lessons that you need to learn._

_You two think you aren't worthy of love at all.  
_

_You both warrant happiness. _

Holly nervously stirred her drink with the thin red stick and otherwise non-functioning straw.

"Would you like to share a pizza?"

"Sure," she hoped he wouldn't mind, but she needed a cigarette in the worst way. "By the way." She took a

quarter out of her pants pocket and placed it across the table.

"What this for?" Hyde asked, popping the top open on another bottle of beer.

"For the phone call."

Was she serious?

He smiled, "That's not necessary."

"I wanted to, Steve."

Would he have done the same thing? Maybe not with money or such a small amount of it.

She was scared, he was intrigued, and like his best friend, when it came time to ruin it he knew full well that he

was going to be conscious of that fact.

_You don't have to._

_Oh boy._

_This isn't going to be pretty._

_Old habits are going to die hard. _

_Allow yourself to be happy and maybe you won't have to ruin it. _

He took the unnecessary quarter and placed it in the empty cassette case between the paper liner. He didn't

want to think about the future, especially the relationship kind, before his life changed in 1977, why couldn't one

just enjoy the here and the now?

He was sitting in a bar with beautiful company he didn't have to think about the future that most likely would

never be. They didn't even kiss yet so why was he thinking along those lines, because the mosquito told him to?

_Steven…if you have to let her down, do it easy…but not tonight.  
_

By her third drink when she reached for a napkin out of the paper dispenser, she had her

hand on his, keeping it there for a moment before letting go, and Steven Hyde very much

liked how that felt, he just didn't know if he had the right to feel happiness despite what

the mosquito thought.

**Author's Note: Frequent editing at Wikipedia on the _That '70s Show_ pages changes birthdates and**

**other assorted info to the point where it's difficult to tell what was actually canon or not. The last**

**edit for Hyde's birthday I think was due to a canon quote from Jackie in the season 5 episode where**

**she mentioned his astrological sign as a Sagittarius. ****(_Hey, Hey What Can I Do?_)**** However, the birthday **

**that is currently listed for Hyde has him as a Scorpio. So I changed it for my story. I also made the birth **

**years for the basement gang 1960 and 1961 for Jackie respectively. Thanks. **


	14. Shocked

**Chapter 14**

**Shocked**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**May 1, 1977 (Sunday)**

**10:05 p.m.**

This one was going to hurt everyone in the house.

The brainless but bountiful in bosom Midge was friends with Kitty, her goof of a

husband Bob had a reluctant best friend in Red and Kitty had a love-hate relationship

with Donna, one minute she loved the girl, the next she was a whore for having sex with

her "precious baby boy", then there was Eric, who would die without the love of his life.

It was a beautiful day, no one was home, Red and Kitty went out to dinner on Steven's

suggestion to Kitty that Red take the overworked and under appreciated housewife

somewhere nice, Eric was at Pricemart, and Jackie was invited to a cheerleader sleepover.

Donna tried to focus on her homework, but couldn't. She was taken out of her thoughts

when there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Hyde."

"Hi, Donna. I got a phone call from Jackie, she's worried about you." He took a bottle of

peach schnapps out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table.

"I could use a drink, get the glasses, I have to use the little girl's room…."

It was a good thing she was gone, because he had no idea where they kept their glasses. He

breathed a sigh of relief when he found 2 iced-tea glasses drying in the dish rack.

He filled them halfway and added a special ingredient to Donna's; he found a spoon in

the utensil holder and stirred her glass. The horrified look on Eric's face when he realized

his dream romance was over was going to be worth it.

**2 minutes later**

"I'd like to toast to friendship!" Donna said, slightly wondering how come he wasn't

spending his free time with Jackie, but maybe he liked her in the way that she kind of

liked him? But she stopped him from going any further at the water tower than a few

misguided kisses after Fez' death.

Still she did like Hyde – she liked Eric as well.

It was all too confusing to think about.

"I'll drink to that. Why don't take our drinks into the living room and watch TV?"

"You just like my TV better because my Dad pays for cable."

"If there's one thing I'm about, Donna, it's nudity."

All he had to was wait.

**The prison**

The first of the month was coming soon or maybe it was today. The only reason why

Hyde knew this was because the doppelganger always brought him a newspaper. The

police didn't connect the dots so there were no stories about them. Most of the people in

this puke hole were so stupid.

His twin found a pair of handcuffs and bound his wrists with them. They hurt him more

than the rope. He knew one of the girls were next, he had plans for Eric, he wanted to in

his words "scare him like he's never been scared before."

The order was going to be Donna, Eric, and Jackie. In his weak state he accidentally

kicked his can of soda on the floor, the primitive instinct was there to even think about

somehow forcing his body to slither like a snake and lick it up, but he thought better of it.

He was human.

He wondered what Mr. and Mrs. Forman were doing.

**Restaurant**

"Red, is there something wrong with the ham?" Kitty asked, fighting the feeling to start

smoking again.

"Nothing."

"Are you worried about the kids? They'll be fine. They're all on guard after what has

happened to Fez and Michael. Those poor boys." She cleared her throat like her husband

would do to stop the tears from coming.

Red hoped at the very least that Eric would be able to defend himself if his back was

against the wall and he had to, he could do so.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but something wasn't quite right.

Something wasn't right at all.

**Donna's**

Not Hyde put the radio station on the romantic instrumental channel. Donna was slowly

losing her inhibitions.

He sat next to her on the sofa and put his arm around her, she didn't slap him off or say

something Gloria Steinam inspired. She nuzzled closer; it didn't matter if she thought he

was Eric or Hyde, it only mattered to get her into the bed.

Their lips met, her kisses were like cherry flavored Jolly Rancher candies, and he resisted undoing the

buttons on her blouse for now.

"I love you, Hy…..de….."

Wow.

If that's all that it took and if those are thoughts that came to the surface that

quickly, then she couldn't possibly have loved Eric in that same way. How delightful.

"Let's go upstairs to your room."

He inspected her bedroom earlier; she had a plug near her sink for her hair dryer and he

had an extension cord in his pocket if it didn't reach.

Eric was standing in the doorway to the Pinciotti living room after his shift at Pricemart and came home from

work with the intention to surprise Donna and heard all of it. She loved Hyde. Donna loved

Hyde? He made his way out of the house quietly and went back to the safety of his house.

Damn her.

He wished she was dead as he ran back to his house and to the safety of his room.

**After**

When he noticed her starting to come down, but still not of her own mind, he made her

another drink. But only half the amount this time, because the twin needed to get her in

the bathtub.

"Why don't you start the bath water, so we can take a long hot bath together?" He handed

her the glass, she took a healthy drink.

She kissed him and slowly got out of the bed, her naked body glowing from the

moonlight bouncing off the windows.

In a moment he was going to reveal why they all called her Hot Donna.

_Point Place Chronicle_

_3__rd__ Teen Homicide in a Month_

_Donna Pinciotti, Part time DJ at WFPP (the sound),_

_Daughter of former Bargain Bob retailer Bob Pinciotti. _

_Found dead in bathtub from electrocution. _

_Page 3_

Hyde admitted defeat.

They were all going to die from the hands of his twin. He never answered the rest of his

questions about Edna and Bud. He felt he was coming down with something due to these

horrid living conditions. It made how Edna used to keep or unkeep this house seem like

Buckingham Palace.

_Piece it together, before you're all dead!_

Poor Forman.

Hyde figured he had to be a complete wreck.

And Jackie….whenever he thought about Jackie the pain in his stomach was too

much to bear.

He just wanted to die.

**Forman House**

Red couldn't sleep and the only reason Kitty was knocked out was because she indulged

in the occasional medicinal cocktail. She had a note. It was a little too orchestrated for his

taste and now Donna's dead? That sweet girl. Bob and Midge did not need to bury

their daughter. The grief on Eric's face he wished he could take away. It was certainly

acceptable to break gender expectations and grieve. His son was in his room crying

his eyes out. Three teens dead in a rather short space of time between each other, not just

three random teenagers in the neighborhood.

Three dead who were friends with Eric, who hung out with him in the basement, ate

their food, immersed themselves in their lives. He didn't want to move in the bed and

wake up his wife so he laid there thinking that this wasn't the coincidence the media was

making it out to be. The cops were stupid in Point Place, but this took the cake. He let it

play out in his mind like he was stuck in the foxhole waiting for the perfect opportunity

to strike.

**_The foreign kid – Fez - _** Was a somebody but the locals didn't care about the foreigner. He died

of an overdose. What did he do? Think he was eating his beloved candy? Died in the pool

of the vacant house in Sherman where his son and the rest of them tried to have a kegger?

The only friends he had were the ones who were always in this house.

**_Kelso –_** The kettle head. He loved dogs. Unfortunately everyone knew this. Kelso was

loud and sometimes left the house without his pants on. Too many people knew Kelso

was a doofus, he had a lot of acquaintances in many places, and that's counting all the

women he slept with. But his real friends were the ones who were always in this house.

The random neighborhood tire slashing was a diversion tactic if ever he saw one. He had

to replace 4 tires, 2 on the Toyota and 2 on the Cruiser respectively.

**_Donna_ –** The one who had some real friends outside of the basement, the girl who was

supposed to go places. But many of her close friends were the ones who were always in

this house not to mention the little romance she had with his son.

_**They were the ones being targeted. But by whom?**_ Red couldn't finish his thought, it

wasn't really possible, yet it was the only lead he had, **_and he didn't want it to be true. It_**

**_just couldn't be true._**

It wasn't adding up, but yet it all started to make some kind of sense in a categorical way.

"Fuck." He muttered into his pillow and for the first time in many years held his wife

close to him waiting for any kind of sleep to stop the rest of his theory from taking shape.

_**It just couldn't be….**_


	15. Rejected

**Chapter 15**

**Rejected**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**March 27, 1987 (Friday)**

**3 a.m.**

Alone in bed. Check.

Dog by his side on the floor because he didn't much like the mattress. Check.

Two hearts about to be broken. Check.

Hyde and Holly kissed for the first time 3 hours ago; it was, his first real grown-up kiss,

Whores and hangers-on didn't count and Jackie was a lifetime ago when in the grand scheme of things, they

were only kids who had the burden of carrying the aftermath of surviving a tragedy on their backs.

**12 a.m. **

_"Thank you for the nice evening." Holly felt, not good, but relieved that she told him a bit about her past and the_

_ sins of her father._

_They stood by her apartment door 4B and she wasn't afraid, he would let her make the first move, by putting her _

_hands around his waist and bringing him closer until they were in the raptured in the kiss. Longing but not desperate _

_by any means. He knew this was a big deal for her, it was for him as well. _

"_I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked when it was over, then she looked at her watch, "It is tomorrow…."_

"_Of course. Goodnight, Holly."_

"_Sweet dreams, Steve."_

He let the happiness guide him until he got into his car and started thinking on the ride home. He was going to

have to break the most precious heart and his own as well. Hyde couldn't. He may not have killed anyone

physically, but he certainly knew how to kill someone's soul mentally.

In that regard Hyde felt that he was no better than his brother.

**The Excuse**

She was one of those girls.

A genuine nice girl whom he didn't want to hurt and anyone who thought that otherwise really didn't know him.

Her dark hair was dyed blonde and she always wore it in a professional ponytail. But tonight it was down to her

shoulders in beautiful loose waves. Her eyes were a gray-blue mix and they were gorgeous in the candlelight.

She would want the house. The car. The 2.0 kids. The white picket fence.

He couldn't do it. It wasn't her fault at all. There was a reason to sleep with whores, they didn't have

expectations, except for the ones with dollar signs in their eyes and he could spot those chicks a mile away. It

would have been cruel to go through this whole dinner as if everything were okay. Hyde took a drink from his

beer bottle.

"Holly, oh fuck," he whispered this was going to be much more difficult than he thought.

"You want to break up with me?"

She knew it.

After they kissed each other for the first time.

"I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"Is it because of the things I told you?"

"No. Of course, not….please don't ever think that."

"Do you want a scene, Steve? Because you won't get one. Do you want me to cry and

stomp? Damn. I knew you were too good to be true."

She stood up and reached for her purse behind the chair.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"You can't walk to your house….."

"How noble of you….."

Fuck.

She was unknowingly going to quote that bastard back to him? She didn't know about his 1977

history.

"Holly…."

"I think I can manage calling for a taxi. Goodbye. Just remember, I didn't end this, you

did."

She did her best speed walk as if they needed the nurse to go from one side of the

hospital to the other, she was able to hail a taxi and sputter out her address to the driver

before she sank down in the ripped leather seat and cried her eyes out.

Holly would never forget the first kiss that happened between them not even 24 hours

ago.

It was all her fault why he didn't see a future with her.

**A month later**

**April 27, 1987 (Monday)**

Hyde did not want to go for the stress test but it was a new requirement for international travel and the

insurance would only pay for places and doctors that they deemed were important enough to be on their little

approved lists and he couldn't exactly go somewhere else, even if he paid with his own money, it would be too

many people, asking too many questions, that were none of their business.

He missed Holly, he didn't want to break up with her, but it was for the best. When he got home Sid seemed

angry at him and barked as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey and drank until he woke up in the middle of the

night having to throw up what felt like were most of his guts. He couldn't give her the life she wanted and

deserved.

It was that simple.

She must not have been in work today because of all the female nurses and medical assistants in the office

today, none of them were her. It certainly had nothing to do with what her father did to her.

"Damn." She whispered as she closed the door. "Don't be too excited. I think we can all

be adults here."

Her being cold was not becoming on her face. "Hi, Holly." He didn't know what else to

say without sounding like a condescending bastard.

"My name is Nurse Sullivan, Mr. Hyde. We're a bit understaffed today and that's why

I'm doing your vitals."

When she was done with the patient she was going to smoke 4 More's on her break

and after work she was going to the bar for her usual rum and cokes. Was he kidding with

the "Hi, Holly?" She knew of some stress related issues, but nothing specific about them

was written in his file as well and it didn't excuse him from breaking her heart, infact, it

made it worse. Weren't they supposed to have learned from their traumatic experiences?

She was going to take her 2 week vacation in Sarasota, Florida starting Monday and visit her Mother's friend

from nursing school…— Kitty Forman.

**3:15 a.m.**

Alone in bed. Check.

Dog by his side on the floor because he didn't much like the mattress. Check.

Two hearts that were broken and it was all his fault. Check.


	16. Goodbye

**Chapter 16**

**Goodbye**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**May 4, 1977 (Wednesday)**

Eric thought he was going to faint in the Vista Cruiser.

His father had to drive, His mother sat next to him, of course. Midge and Bob were crying over the loss of their

daughter and Red must have said something to Hyde last night because there was no reason for him to be

here. He was with Donna before she was killed. Did he notice anyone suspicious outside after their love fest?

Jackie held his hand and sobbed into her silk handkerchief. Donna was dead and not many people gave Eric the

respect a boyfriend deserved. His mother hugged and kissed him, well Red was Red and he tried to say

something comforting, and that was it. He supposed it had to be all about Bob and Midge, losing a child was

more horrible of an event than losing a girlfriend.

A girlfriend who apparently loved his best friend.

Neighbors and friends sent much food to the Forman house, but that didn't stop Kitty from overly baking and

cooking as a defense mechanism. Three kids* that called the Forman house their home and Kitty the unofficial

mother of the group were all dead.

Who was the person or persons responsible for these murders?

How come the police had no leads? The reception was going to be held at Bob and Midge's. Red asked for Eric

and Hyde's help in bringing some of the food over from their house to the Pinciotti's. Kitty would comfort Bob and

Midge along with the swarms of relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Donna's death brought out more people

than Kelso and the foreign kid's.

John Kelso and his wife packed up their house and left Point Place with their minor children and moved to an

unknown location. Eric didn't feel like fighting with his father, he'd help with everything that he asked for and

then he was going to up to his room where he felt the most safe.

"Steven, I'm glad Eric left, I'd like to talk to you."

Red said as they finished setting up the long collapsible table in the Pinciotti dining room**. He wanted to do

this before all of the mourners came in for their lunch.

"About?"

"I think I owe you an apology, son."

"For?"

"You're not Eric. I shouldn't put those same rules on you as I do to him. You can handle

yourself in this world, Eric well, he's my son, I love him, but he still needs guidance especially during

this trying time."

The twin could feel that Red was setting a trap. He didn't know what the elder Forman

knew or if he even was aware of anything in particular, but this wasn't normal conversation.

"And?"

"You said you were with Jackie the night of Donna's….." He couldn't finish it. Donna

was someone's daughter and Red genuinely felt bad for Bob and Midge. If anything

similar happened to Laurie he didn't think he would survive long in this world. Kitty tried

to get her on the phone last night, but to no avail.

"Yeah. I didn't like her being at that sleepover and that was before we knew about

Donna…" He kept his voice on an even keel.

"You have good instincts, son."

"You got that right, Mr. Forman. Is that all? I'd like to check on Jackie…."

"Of course." Red replied as he made his mental notes.

Before Eric could leave unnoticed Bob went up to him when Kitty was trying to get

Midge to eat something.

"Eric, Why don't you stay awhile?"

Was someone other than his parents acknowledging him? Hyde didn't offer any

condolences. It was different with Fez and Kelso. This was about Donna; he was close

friends with her, and apparently they had unresolved romantic feelings for each other. He

was the last one to see Donna alive. A little "I'm sorry" would have been nice. It wouldn't have

brought her back, but it would have been a decent thing for Hyde to do.

"Mr. Pinciotti, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather just go to bed. Again, I'm sorry for everything."

Eric was surprised when Bob hugged Eric and offered condolences to him. It didn't matter. Donna was dead and

nothing was going to bring her back. He had to get out of the claustrophobic room and into the security of his.

Eric Forman was beginning to fear the world.

**1 Week Later**

**May 11, 1977 (Wednesday)**

The nightmares started for Eric Forman.

It was so hard to find the will to live anymore.

He wished that Donna was dead and after her one night stand with Hyde, Bob was

dealt a double blow when Midge left for California 1 day after the funeral and reception,

and despite Kitty's best efforts, he sat alone in the house waiting to die.

Red sat in the kitchen drinking a coffee trying to get his son to eat at least a bowl of cereal.

The kid was naturally skinny enough.

"…And Hyde still hasn't said a word to me about Donna! _He was the last one_ to see her

alive."

Red tried to not scare his son with his normal yelling ways.

"You're just telling me this _Now!_" Red tried not to blow his top; this had to be very

difficult for Eric.

It was complex for Red to put the puzzle together without worrying anyone or putting

everyone who was still left in danger.

It was a good thing that Kitty started her shift at the hospital.

"Where is Steven now?" Red asked

"At the Fotohut."

"Steven was at Donna's the night she died?" Red tried to make it sound as much of a

generalization as possible.

"I was going to surprise her after work and I heard her tell Hyde that she loved him!

HIM! No wonder he can't say anything to me!" It was a good thing his father wasn't

giving him a hard time over crying and not being an unrealistic macho man that kept everything in. "Then I ran

off….Dad…this is all my fault! I wished that she was dead that night."

"Eric," Red held his son's hand under the circumstances, "It's not your fault."

Bless Eric for not being able to connect the dots.

Red had one more thing to do.

It was small, but it was the only thing he could think of.

**Spiders**

The doppelganger wasn't at the Fotohut, he was at the exotic pet store in Madison buying

4 tarantulas. He let the one they called "Moe" crawl up his arm, would Eric Forman have

a heart attack? It was an amusing scenario to ponder. "Larry", "Curly", and "Shemp" were in their

dry aquarium. He couldn't wait to tell Hyde about his plans, he thought about buying a

scorpion, but he didn't have enough money. Red was now giving him weird looks at the

dinner table, after he disposed of the kids; he was going to have to find away to rid the

Earth of the nosy Forman parents. May they regret the day they took Steven Hyde in.

He paid for his spiders and headed for Mommy's house.

**Edna's**

When Hyde saw the dry aquarium filled with 4 tarantulas his heart sank further down into his chest.

The twin wasn't going to do the easy thing and just kill Eric, no he was going to make him suffer. Forman hated

little garden spiders; He was even afraid of plastic toy spiders; these big, hairy ones were going to

drive him mad, with the tape temporarily off his mouth, he wasn't afraid to speak, it was getting too close to

Jackie and Mrs. Forman being next.

"If you're going to kill him, just do it - you know he's going to freak out..." It took all of the energy he had to get

that sentence out.

Forman was probably on his last nerve after losing Donna.

"By the way, Eric knows you slept with Donna before her untimely death…too bad."

**2 days later**

**May 13, 1977 (Friday)**

Today was easy.

His brother cut class all the time; no one would expect anything less. He just had to get out of Jackie's annoying

thumb. She was like a virus that wouldn't go away. Steven this. Steven that. He really wanted to strangle her in

the cafeteria. Kitty, ever his champion, was working, Eric obviously a zoned out robot at school, and Red at

Pricemart. He wanted to know where he kept it. His closet seemed like a good place to start, it was where most

of the disgusting middle class Americans kept their secrets. Wasn't Kitty a good little wife making sure

everything was ironed and hung on neat wooden hangers? All that was on the floor were some shoes, hidden

presents for the next holiday, and some old umbrellas. He was certain Red would have kept it in here. He closed

the closet door.

In the garage? Why would he be dumb enough to keep it outside? And he was supposed to be the stern yet

smart father? Maybe under the bed? He made his way to the floor and searched under the bed, there wasn't

even a dust bunny to be found let alone what he was searching for. Come on. He supposed he would try the

garage. No other room made sense. He made sure everything was how he found it and headed outside towards

the garage. What do you know? The long black case stood out like a sore thumb it was in the back hidden by

Kitty's dress form.

Key?

Red probably had one attached to his key chain and probably the spare was hanging from the nail on the tool

shelf.

He was semi-shocked when it opened and there was Red's hunting rifle. He had a revolver, but there was

something sexy about a long rifle. He let his fingers caress the body of the gun.

"Would you like tell me what the fuck you think you are doing?"

_Exposed. _

But that was part of the fun. He could test it here or at the very least whack the elder

Forman with it, but it wasn't the time for that. He turned around.

"Mr. Forman, I thought you were at work?"

He took the hunting rifle out of his hands, "Steven Hyde you have 2 seconds to give your

dumbass explanation to me…"

This proved Red was lying about giving him more independence than the Wimp.

He knew something.

He was testing him.

Not Steven only needed 1 excuse.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Forman. I knew you'd say no, that's why I skipped class. I'm doing

research for a school paper…I wasn't going to do anything…." At that moment he

wished Kelso was around, "Honest….."

"You have no right to touch my things. How about we go back to giving you

punishment?"

"Whatever."

Mr. Forman never came home for lunch when Mrs. Forman wasn't there, he was on to

him. Why did he come home? It was so obvious. The twin was running out of time to

finish them off and he knew it.

"I suggest you go back to school….better yet, get in my car and I'll drop you off there."

"Yes, Sir. You aren't going to tell Mrs. Forman are you?"

"That's not your concern, dumbass."

After 5 minutes into the ride Red spoke again.

"Did you eat lunch today?"

"No."

Red pulled into a gas station parking lot; there was a vending machine by the air pump.

"I wouldn't want Mrs. Forman to think you didn't have anything to eat." He gave Hyde a

stack of quarters, "Get me something too."

He noticed the contents of the vending machine when he filled up the Toyota's tank yesterday

and the guy who filled up the machines was there and he requested that he put some bags

of popcorn in front of the stale zero candy bars which nobody liked.

It was luck.

**He hated what his mind was telling him.**

He just didn't have the complete piece.

Red rolled down the driver side window as Hyde gave him the red can of regular soda and a bag of chips as he

walked to the passenger side door to enter the car.

"You got yourself a cherry pop?"

"Why? Did you want to switch?"

He could kill the old man right here and no one would notice. It would be cool to murder one of these

motherfucker's in broad daylight.

"Oh no. Too much sugar compared to the regular. Kitty would have my head on a platter."

Red watched as the foil bag was opened and Hyde ate without any reservation from the bag of caramel popcorn

as the car drove on to Point Place High.

**_Son of a Bitch_.**

**Author's Note: *3 Kids: They still don't know about Laurie.**

****I know we didn't see the dining room in the Pinciotti house (or the actual stairs to the 2nd level), but **

**it's implied.**

**Thanks to Marla's Lost for researching spiders for me so I didn't have to. (more coming in a future**

**chapter).  
**


	17. Bewildered

**Chapter 17**

**Bewildered**

**Sarasota, Florida**

**May 4, 1987 (Monday)**

**1:30 p.m.**

Kitty was excited.

She was going to have company. Patricia's baby was coming to Sarasota, Florida just to visit her. Of course, she

wasn't a little girl anymore. Holly was 25 years old, a little bit younger than her boys, but in the same age range.

Kitty Sigurdson was in nursing school and one of her closest friends was Patricia Sullivan. The last time she saw

her, she was six years old and told Kitty that someday she was going to be a nurse like her mom and "aunt

Kitty". They moved away for reasons unknown and when Kitty saw Patty's sister, Jean at the grocery store just

a few weeks ago, who retired to Sarasota with her husband she said the next time she heard from "Patty's

girl", she would pass along the message. Kitty wondered, it wasn't her place, why Holly didn't want to see her

Aunt Jean, but rather her? Eric was at the bookstore and probably would still be there until dinnertime, but at

least he wasn't afraid to leave the house like he used to be. She set out the "fancy nut mix" and although she

felt a tad guilty the store bought Archway oatmeal windmill shaped cookies would have to do, at least it

was on her good china, the white with the scalloped edges that was a reluctant wedding present from Red's

cold mother Bernice.

Kitty missed her little house in Point Place, this was just a little too modern for her with the fancy fan

light on the kitchen ceiling where Red, when he was still alive, had an actual private den with a door, Eric

sometimes used the room to draw in. It felt great to have an afternoon guest. She finished dusting the coffee

table and thought her glass grapes still looked good next to her _Ladies Home Journal's and Family Circle's._ The

coffee maker would beep when it was ready and she didn't know if they should catch up in the living room or in

the kitchen, she figured the kitchen since it was completely spotless. The parlor shelves still needed dusting, she

had her framed family photos in her knitting basket by her special pink chair. The last gift from Red. She missed

her husband so much. There was the sound of her happy doorbell and Kitty ran, she actually sprinted, to get the

door.

"Hi, Mrs. Forman….."

"Holly Sullivan! Is that you? You've grown!"

She wrapped her arms around the young woman. "You're so pretty!"

"Thank you."

She wished he thought so.

"Come in the kitchen, dear," Kitty held her hand, "I am curious why you chose to see me

over your Aunt Jean?"

"Because I don't like her."

Kitty laughed, Holly remembered her unique laugh. It felt good to get out of Santa Cruz and a chance to forget

about what's his name.

Holly put her keys on the table and took out her pack of cigarettes. "You don't mind do you?"

"Nursing is a very stressful job. It took me years to quit the habit. I know I have an ashtray somewhere. Would

you like a cup of coffee?"

"Sure."

"So how's your life, dear?"

It was obvious that Holly didn't know about the 1977 tragedies and Kitty was glad, she liked the days when she

didn't have to talk about it. Kitty found a clear yellow ashtray in the utility drawer and she put it on the table.

The girl looked tired and not all of it from traveling.

She put two brown coffee cups with turquoise blue Old English style "F's" in front of them and offered her a

windmill cookie.

"Work sucks…..but that might be because…..I don't want to bother you with this."

Holly thought it was obvious that Kitty didn't know about the tragedies in her family. Of course her Aunt Jean

wouldn't say anything, she didn't believe her, and she never had the courage to tell her now deceased mother.

"You're not bothering me with anything…it's good to talk."

A lesson that Kitty wished one of her boys would take to heart.

"I thought I met a nice guy…it's stupid…..he broke my heart…I fought my instincts to run…."

"Call me Kitty…."

"Kitty, I fought my instincts…I wouldn't have broken things up less than 24 hours after our first kiss together."

She vowed she wasn't going to cry anymore, but she didn't know if it was being in the presence of a kind

woman or just the exhaustion of it all, but she started to cry.

"Oh, Holly dear," Kitty got up to get the box of tissues that she kept by the telephone incase her Steven called

her, she needed to be ready with a box of tissues, a pen and paper, and her miniature bottle of vodka. "It'll be

okay."

"Steve's a jerkwad," She replied in frustration. "Thank you for the tissues and to top it all off he's a patient!

Sometimes I just want to get run over by a truck."

_Steve? _

_Okay. _

_That was too common of a name to get excited over. _

"Don't say that. It sounds like you have to get this off your chest. How did you two meet?"

"At the store. He helped me stop the lettuce from rolling onto the floor. I thought he had beautiful blue eyes. I

felt like such a dork that night. I didn't know what to say. I tried avoiding him, we had some small polite talk,

but my car wouldn't start…so he gave me a ride home so I could get my auto club card….."

"He sounds like a nice guy." Kitty stirred her coffee.

"I thought so too. At least he had a cute dog."

_Steve._

_Blue eyes._

_(Could he not have worn his sunglasses?)_

_Dog. _

"What kind of dog?"

"A German Shepard."

_Steve._

_Blue eyes._

_German Shepard._

"You didn't say where you live now?"

She needed to get off the Steve topic it was too painful for her, "Santa Cruz, California."

_Steve._

_Blue eyes._

_German Shepard._

_Santa Cruz, California._

Holly put her cigarette out in the ashtray. "Remind me never to get involved with writer/artist types ever again."

_This can't be happening._

_Oh, Red, My Darling Husband. _

_Steve._

_Blue eyes._

_German Shepard._

_Santa Cruz, California._

_Writer._

"Kitty, where is your bathroom?" Holly asked

"Right down the hall, second door on the left."

The nice thing about a ranch house was that Kitty didn't have to worry about steps anymore. She finished her

coffee. These were an awful lot of coincidences or maybe Holly just said the words that Kitty wanted to hear.

She accidentally dropped her key ring on the floor; there was a silver "H" in modern script, a nurse's hat charm,

and a purple rectangular shaped box with the words Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk written on it. It was one of

those picture key rings.

Holly turned off the faucet and dried her hands with the cranberry colored towel that was on the rack. There

were only 2 toothbrushes in the holder below the medicine cabinet mirror. When she heard the sound of

something breaking, she forgot about her own troubles and went into nurse mode.

"Kitty, are you okay?"

Kitty was standing up, the coffee cup that Holly drank out of was on the floor in shattered pieces, the puddle of

caffeine, sugar, and milk on the light golden tile with the starburst pattern.

"Oh my God…" She couldn't stop the flow tears if she tried, "Oh my god…" Kitty waved her hands like she always

did when she was nervous.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll clean this up…" She gave Kitty a few tissues from the box.

"Holly, I know you are worn out, this was the start of your vacation but we need to go back to your hotel to

pack your bags and return to Santa Cruz immediately. _I'm not letting this chance slip away! _You're a living

Angel!" She stood up to give the young woman a big hug before sitting down again.

"Why?"

She grabbed a bunch of white paper towels to clean up the mess on the floor confused by Mrs. Forman's

behavior.

"I will explain things to you on the plane….Oh my God….oh my God…Red…Red sent you to me Holly….I just know

it!"

What was this about?

"Mrs. F…I mean Kitty, what's wrong?"

"Nothing….don't give up on Steven…or Steve as you call him…that's so cute! Oh my God….I have waited 8 years

for this day! I didn't think it was ever going to come. And I didn't think it would happen in quite this way. Your

jerkwad Steve, with the blue eyes, German Shepherd, the writer in Santa Cruz, California, is my Steven…..my

son…"

Kitty got up and continued to breakdown over the unexpected news in bewildered nurse Holly's arms.


	18. Accelerated

**Chapter 18**

**Accelerated**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**May 26, 1977 (Thursday)**

**4:30 p.m. **

Eric sat at his desk and cried.

That's all he did was sleep, barely eat, and cry. He couldn't believe his parents made him go back to school so

soon. It had nothing to do with Fez and Kelso even though he did love and miss them, they were his friends

after all, it was losing Donna and knowing that his romantic soul mate, what a load of bullshit, had really loved

Hyde all along hurt him to his very foundation. There was a knock on his door. "Go away." He replied. The door

opened, it was his father, Eric had to admit, Red was acceptable during all this, he didn't ride his ass to "be a

man" at all. It was probably because they knew Donna since she was a little girl who called him a "string bean"

when they first met and punched him in the stomach. It was love at first hit. Eric was still angry that Hyde still

hasn't said a damn thing to him. Was he feeling guilty? He should. Hyde knew how he felt about Donna, it was

never a secret and to break the guy code was unforgivable.

"Son, come downstairs and have something to eat." Red said, who looked drained

himself.

He didn't want to tell Eric, but they couldn't reach Laurie anywhere. Red and Kitty were

very worried about her whereabouts.

"Dad, I'm not hungry." Eric twisted a pencil in his hand.

"Eric, you need to eat something."

Looked like Dad, sounded much like Mom. Tragedy does that to people's personalities.

Eric supposed.

"Son," Red closed the door, "Do me a favor…. don't tell Steven or your Mother, but I

need to speak to you and Jackie alone as soon as possible, okay?" Red didn't know how he was going to

explain this to them, he still didn't understand it all, but he fought with less information during the war at times

and a man learns to trust his guts instincts. He debated telling Kitty, but that would put her square into danger

and he didn't want that.

"We can go to Fatso Burger tomorrow. Hyde will be at the Fotohut."

"Fine. Better yet. I'll phone Jackie, Eric."

Eric scratched his head as Red closed the door behind him. What did Red want to talk to him and Jackie about

that he didn't want Hyde nor his mother to know?

**Day of Awareness**

**May 27, 1977 (Friday)**

**4:30 p.m. **

Eric didn't know how he was able to go to school and how Red was able to pull both him

and Jackie out of their last classes of the day without Hyde knowing. They were at Fatso

Burger. Red didn't want to hurt his son or one of the girls that he loved like a daughter, but he had to tell them

exactly what he thought the situation was and what they were going to do about it.

"Jackie, are you alright?" Red asked

She already knew, well since Donna's funeral, that man couldn't be her Steven. Eric told

her about Hyde and Donna's sexual tryst last night on the phone. He never would have

hurt Donna and Eric like that, he always changed the subject with her, and he wanted to

have a private dinner at her house on the first of the month.

Eric couldn't eat anything; he just stared into outer space. Why wouldn't this stop? If

Red's theory was true, then he and Jackie were next.

Hyde was a lot of things, not all of them good, but a cold hearted killer?

The doppelganger saw them from the window as he drove by, they must all think that he

was very stupid. They knew and they were going to pretend that they didn't. To quote the

elder Forman, they were all dumbasses.

Fuck next month, tonight at dinner they were all going to be in for a surprise.

He knew what he had to do.

**Forman house**

The twin ran up the stairs to make sure there'd be a flush to his face. They wanted it sped up, he would give

them sped up. They'd never expect it. Mrs. Forman was an easy target she loved Steven like a son, she'd accept

anything he put on the table as long as he stayed as true to the character as possible.

"Mrs. Forman….Mrs. Forman!" He called out.

She had her hand on the doorknob of Laurie's door, oh shit, well her finding the suitcases would have to wait

this took top priority.

"What is it, Steven? Have you been crying?" She took his hand as they walked into Eric's room.

"I don't know how to say this to you…..Red thinks I did it!"

"Did what, Sweetie?"

"Kill everyone! I overheard them. He thinks I killed Fez, Kelso, and Donna…I didn't…! Why would he think it was

me?"

"Oh, Steven," She gave him a big hug, "Really? You heard Red say this? Who was he talking to?"

"F—Eric and Jackie. He's going to tell Jackie that I did these horrible and untrue things!"

Kitty kissed the doppelganger on the cheek. "Don't you worry, honey, you leave Red to me, okay? He's probably

flashing back to one of his wartime experiences…Why don't you go downstairs? Supper will be ready soon."

"I have to go back to the Fotohut…..but I just had to tell you, I couldn't keep it inside."

She held his hand. "It'll be okay. I promise."

He smiled victorious on the inside, "Thank you, Mrs. Forman. I knew I could always count on you."

Time was of the essence.

**Random motel**

The twin waited in line to speak to the young woman behind the desk. They wanted it this way. They chose the

direction in how it was all going to go down.

"May I help you, Sir?" the brunette with the green eyes took him out of his thoughts.

"Yes. I'm Steven Hyde, I called about the room earlier, I wanted to make sure that you installed the shower

seat."

"All of our handicapped rooms have those automatically."

"Thank you. I'm picking up my grandmother from out of down and I wanted to make sure everything was ready

for her. I'd like to pay for my room now."

"Cash or charge?"

"Cash."

She handed him the key with the blue tag on it as well as a paper receipt after she wrote about their

transaction in the ledger book.

"Thank you so much, you've been a help, dear."

Now he had to go back to the repulsive Forman house to start the next phase of his plan. He was getting a thrill

over the rush of it all.

**Forman's**

Kitty couldn't believe what her Red had said about Steven. The boy who had been like a second son to the both

them. The boy they took in because of his shitty parents. Then on top of it he had to get Eric and Jackie wound

up believing that he was the one responsible for the recent murders. Yes, Steven was from the wrong side of

the tracks and did a little stealing and yeah, she wasn't crazy about the marijuana smoking, but he was not and

never would be a cold blooded killer and Red should've known much better. Hyde parked the El Camino a block

away from the house, he stood by the sliding door, the smell of the food told him that Kitty would be here to

take the next phase of the bait.

"Steven, honey," she opened the door, "Come in, it's okay. Red's hiding somewhere in this house. He owes you

the biggest apology and I'm going to make sure you get it."

She left the kitchen as the twin took a packet out of his pocket, "I'm going to make sure you get it

too."

He said to the air as he dumped the invisible and scent free contents into the mashed potatoes and mixed it

with the big silver spoon that Kitty had in the bowl. He'd have a few hours of playtime; it was all that he

needed.

"Reginald Albert Forman, you get your ass in this kitchen, NOW!"

_Perfect. _

Red walked into the kitchen, this kid was lying. Now he put his wife in the middle, as far Red Forman was

concerned it was WAR. He said his apologies, the funny thing about words were that you didn't have to mean

them. He didn't know the why's or the how's, but this kid was as guilty as sin.

"Now, I want no more of this foolish talk. Where's Eric?"

"In the bathtub."

"We can eat without him….Steven, are you okay, sweetie?" He half wanted to tell her the truth and she could

save him with a phone call to Pastor Dave, kisses, hugs, brownies, and the ubiquitous scrambled eggs.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Forman. I'm glad that one of you has faith in me."

This dumbass was good, Red would give them that.

They sat around the dinner table as always, Eric was in the bathtub, which didn't

concern Red as long as Steven Hyde was in their presence. And Jackie told him she

would fine, she was having dinner at her cheerleader friends Leslie's house.

He ate his green beans first and waited for Eric Forman to join them in the kitchen.

"I'm tir-ed…."

Kitty couldn't keep her eyes open anymore.

"K—it."

Now Red.

_Night-night. _

The kitchen door swung open and Eric realized his world as he knew it was over.

"M…..oh…..fuck!"

Were his parent's dead?

"Relax, Forman, they're not dead," he stood up, "They just decided to take a nap in their

mashed potatoes….."

"W-who are you?"

This was not Hyde, it couldn't be Hyde. He would never turn on them like this.

_Eric could defend himself, he could defend himself, he could defend himself_,

but not when a gun was pointed at him.

"I'm not Steven Hyde, I'm his brother – go in the living room…NOW or I will blow your

fucking brains out and when your parents can wake up to the sight of their dead son in the

living room…..or I could kill your parents right in front of you if you don't start

moving NOW!"

_There were two __Hyde's? _

**Calling Jackie**

"What's wrong, Eric?" Jackie asked from the Cannon's upstairs phone. Eric was told to

say that he left town.

Not Hyde kept the gun pointed at his head, "Red wants you to go to your house, there's

been some developments, and whoever _this imposter_ is hasn't been to your house. We're safe now. Red and I

are coming to pick you up."

_Why not just pick me up at Leslie's house?_

Jackie swallowed hard.

_Imposter?_

_Two Steven's?_

He could feel this entity behind him and the gun pointed directly on the back of his head.

Eric was talking too rehearsed.

"He's right there. I know you can't answer that. I'll go to my house…stay safe, Eric…"

"Thank you. You too."

When Eric hung up the phone, a chloroform cloth was placed over his nose and mouth

from behind, when he woke up; he was going to be in for quite a treat.

**Burkhart House**

Jackie had two thoughts, the first one was, what wonderful parents Jack and Pam

Burkhart were, if they were here maybe none of this would be happening and the second

was, if she could trap this man, maybe, they could find Steven. She went in her mother's

closet, she had a role to play in this and she knew she couldn't fail.

If he wanted her in her house then let it be.

**Screams**

Hyde was in the middle of a half-asleep, half awake state. When he heard the screams of

his best friend he knew that Eric had met with the spiders. Hyde didn't know where

Forman was, he guessed the kitchen area from the directions in which the screams were

coming from. Would those spiders be paying him a visit when they were done with their

victim?

He brought Forman to him and he was terrified of the tarantulas crawling over him. His

mouth was taped so he couldn't say anything to Eric.

_[[Don't scream, you'll only provoke them to bite you.]] _

"Isn't it lovely?" The doppelganger said

_[[Where did you come from?]]_

"The same whore of a mother that you did."

_[[Please…what's the purpose of brining Forman here…let him go….let the spiders _

_crawl over me…he's petrified!]]_

Now Hyde felt guilty for scaring him with an empty jar in the carefree basement days and

saying there was a spider in there. "Hyde! I swear to god! Stop it!"

"We're going on a trip." He took the comforter that he used to wrap Laurie's dead body

in and placed it on the floor, but not before giving his brother an injection. It would wear off in time for the big

reveal.

[[_Forman…..don't be the next one to die….fuck….]]  
_  
_[[J-jac]]_

He placed Hyde in the middle of the blanket and wrapped him up as Eric Forman screamed for dear life.

**Forman's***

Red washed his wife's face with a dishtowel…the bastard had Eric.

"Kitty…."

Kitty's heart was broken. He lied to her….he did those things….it couldn't be. It just

couldn't be. Her Steven would never ever do such terrible things.

"We've been fooled! I'm so sorry that I didn't believe you. Find the kids, Red! That person is not Steven! Oh my

God! What happened to Steven?" Hugging and comforting each other would have to wait,

the lives of three teenagers, one their biological son, the one they loved like their second

son, and his girlfriend, all hung in the balance.

Kitty kissed Red on the cheek for good luck. Her hands shook as she didn't know if whether she should force

herself to clean up the kitchen to keep busy until she waited for the phone call that they were alive or if she

should just collapse in the corner with her Bible and a bottle of wine?

Please let this be over soon, God, please let this be over soon.

**Edna's**

Eric finally stopped screaming. He closed his eyes tight, while his body shook

uncontrollably, and prayed for his death so he could join Donna on the other side.

_The spiders…..they'd be back. _

**Getting Jackie**

Jackie was terrified letting this man who wasn't Steven, but had his face, touch her.

Where was Eric? Was he dead? What about Mr. and Mrs. Forman?

When Jackie realized that this psycho wasn't her Steven, she held out hope that he was

still alive somewhere. She was wearing a long white silk negligee and nothing else.

"You're very tense, Jackie…..I think it's because you know."

He kissed her on the lips before pulling away.

"Know what?"

He laughed, "You know that drink of water you took, it's going to knock you out in 5-4-

3-2-1."

It was time to reunite these two lovebirds before he killed them both, he smiled when she

clutched her throat and fell to the floor.

He was going to bring the princess back to the prince.**

**Author's Note: * Unknown time later….by this time, Hyde and his brother are at **

**the motel and had a decent head start before Red & Kitty woke up. After he **

**prepares Hyde for the last mind game, that's when he goes back for Jackie to bring her to the motel.**

****The upcoming motel scene with the Hyde and his twin took place before this final scene with **

**Jackie until the part when she enters the chapter. The original draft I have for this story is now down (I'm **

**deleting as I go) to 6 pages. One more pre-reunion 1977 chapter to be written, as in addition to editing **

**what I already have, then the 1977 aftermath and recovery period will begin. I wanted the motel chapter **

**to be the only place in that particular installment.  
**

**Some questions for the readers:  
**

**Will Jackie and Red be able to tell the Hyde's apart? **

**What happens to Eric?**

**Will Kitty get her family back? **

**I have an idea on how I want this to go (and remember some of the 1987 installments that are already put **

**up), but I am open to any suggestions for the showdown chapter. Such as if there are any questions that **

**only Steven Hyde knows the answers to that his twin couldn't. (Keep in mind that Hyde did keep a tablet **

**diary, but only from his high school time, not further back.)**

**Not a retcon, just a clarification, I'm below the 4 month mark, so I'm going to count the time spent in the **

**hospital before Hyde returns to the Forman house as being 4 months away. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. **

**It means a lot.**


	19. Unconditional

**Chapter 19**

**Unconditional**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**May 5, 1987 (Tuesday)**

**3:45 p.m.**

For the first time in a long time Kitty Forman felt empowered.

She should have done this sooner, she just needed more than a standard reason, because it would just be

more of the same. Sure, he'd have talked to her, but he wouldn't change, and the reason to change was staring

him right in the face. The visits to Dr. Farrell plus all of the books she would check out of the library were right

about a few things. One, more often than not, it's not the traumatic event that is the worst; it was the

aftermath, the day-to-day living. Steven had done too much, too soon, expecting life to reach its apex of a "new

normal". He helped with the house, he helped with Eric, and he and Jackie tried, God love those kids for trying,

but a relationship couldn't last under those weights. He never had a chance to heal; she knew she couldn't force

him to see a psychiatrist. The only time he went to the hospital was during the raw early stages of the

aftermath when had to be evaluated after being held captive for 4 months. His responses to anyone looking for

them were short and curt. He didn't tell anyone everything and that was including Red and Kitty themselves.

She stood in the spacious empty kitchen, this beachfront house was gorgeous, but it wasn't a home. It was

almost like a hotel. She didn't want to scare him when he came home, but she was also angry that he avoided

them for 8 years, yes it was in all the books as one of the signs of PTSD, pure avoidance behavior. He didn't

show up for Red's or Jackie's funerals. If he sent anything to Kitty it was from a business address that wasn't

even in Santa Cruz. Kitty knew in Steven's mind, he didn't want to be a burden anymore, yet he never was a

burden. That it was all his fault, when it most certainly wasn't. That he wasn't good enough for them, which was

also untrue. So there was Holly Sullivan, the girl he pushed away, who just happened to be the daughter of one

of her best friends Patricia Sullivan from nursing school. She had more than the standard reason to knock some

sense into that boy's head. The young man that she loved like he was one of their own. Kitty knew Eric would

be livid if she knew where she was. She just said she went back to California with her friend's daughter. She left

a note on his desk so he wouldn't worry. It was going to take a long time for Steven and Eric to get their

relationship back, but one step at a time. Kitty took the cranapple juice that she bought at the airport out of the

refrigerator and poured herself a glass and resisted the urge to find something in the liquor cabinet to spike it

up.

How was he going to react to seeing her? His self-imposed exile had gone long enough; she wanted her family

back, what was left of it. She wanted to see her boys reach a happy place, with wonderful girlfriends, and

before she died she wanted to hold at least one precious grandbaby in her arms. She noticed the red numbers

on the answering machine…10 messages. It wasn't her business to play them back, so she didn't, just like she

didn't go rummaging through his possessions. Steven was violated enough. She just wanted him back in the

family fold where he belonged. She waited and hoped that he wasn't on the road with one of the bands he

wrote about. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the front door open, the beeping of the security alarm,

the sound of keys, and a panting dog. Kitty didn't know if she should stay in the kitchen and wait, she didn't

want to come out running like a mad woman, although she really did want to do just that. She wanted to give

her second son the world's biggest hug. The German Shepherd came in the kitchen first, he sniffed her, but he

really didn't bark. Of course, Steven would have a gentle dog. She tapped the dog on the head, the poor animal

looked sad with tired eyes. She stood up and waited, thank god, he didn't have a woman of questionable

means with him.

"Are you hungry?" and that's when Steven Hyde's world temporarily stopped. Was Kitty

Forman, the mother he always wished for, standing in his kitchen? He took off his

sunglasses and put them on the counter.

"Hello, Steven. Come here and give me a hug."

They were going to have to take this one moment at a time, never mind the one day at a

time.

Self-repression was a curious thing, because when _the stimuli_ was right in front of him,

he did want to embrace Kitty. He missed her very much and her calm demeanor was

much appreciated. Not that he felt that he didn't deserve to be hit upside the head with a

rolling pin, she was always the calm in the stormy sea. He wouldn't cry, not now where

she could see anyway.

"I missed you." He admitted

"I may not be yelling, but I am still angry." She couldn't get used to his bald head and

moustache, but she knew what he was doing, just like the small amount of dental work he

had done. She wasn't fond of the tattoos that she could see that were peeking out from the

sleeves of his t-shirt.

He didn't want to be seen as his brother.

"I know. Did you meet Sid my dog?"

"Yes, he's very nice. How's work?"

Kitty decided while Steven prepared Sid's dinner it was best to just jump into the pool of

conversation. The fact that they could converse where they left off as if they hadn't been

separated for 8 years was proof of their bond.

"Good. But I don't think you came here all this way to talk about my work. How did you

find my address?"

And get passed the alarm?

"Oh a mother knows, Steven, a mother knows lots of things."

His internal antenna was raised, Kitty knew more than she was letting on.

"How's For – Eric?"

Kitty was curious, was Steven going to cook that whole steak for the dog? Lucky indeed.

"He's all right. Eric is doing the best he can, as we all are. He bounces from job to job, he

invested his portion of the money from Red's, God rest his soul, lawsuit against Price

Mart. He doesn't know I'm in here, but he knows I'm in California."

Hyde raised a brow.

"Is there more to that?"

"I suppose there is. I don't know if you have any obligations tonight…"

"You don't have to worry about that, Mrs. Forman, the least I can do is take you out to

dinner."

And talk…she was going to want to talk…he supposed he owed her that much.

"I don 't want you to take me out to dinner."

She had him perplexed.

"Where do you want to go then?"

"We have lots of time to speak, but you only get one chance, sometimes you get two

chances, that's right. I'll be here for a few days, I want you to dress spiffy and don't let

her go because you think you are inferior somehow."

He almost lost his grip on the handle of the frying pan.

"I don't know how you know….but you are aware of Holly aren't you?"

"Yes. I'll dog sit Sid.….you get the girl before I do start raising my voice and start

throwing frying pans around."

Hyde turned and gave her Kitty another hug and kissed her on the cheek, "After all this

time, you still…."

"Why would I ever stop loving my kids?"

A chip fell off the stone and he realized how stupid his self-imposed absence was.

"What makes you think Holly still wants to see me?"

"A mother knows, Steven. I'll take care of your dog."

It pulled at him much like when a mother has to leave her children in the care of others.

He never left the dog alone with anyone before. Yeah, there were times when he was

busy, but everyone followed his instructions and he was always in the same vicinity as

Sid.

And of course he trusted Kitty.

"I have instructions…and I owe you an explanation…in the utility drawer here…."

He would finish Sid's supper ritual so she would see how he did things.

"Okay. I like seeing your face, Steven."

He let himself smile a bit, "You too, Mrs. Forman."

Eight years without her truly in his life was much too long and he knew it.

**Get the Girl**

How was it possible that Kitty knew Holly? She didn't tell him, she just told him to

shower and change and to follow his heart. The part of the heart that lets love in, he

would have to tell Mrs. Forman later that for the past few months Jackie started appearing

to him in his dreams. At first the dreams were of a nightmarish variety, but he figured

they had to be a compilation of the day's thoughts, because fairly recently the Jackie dreams took a better tone.

She wasn't abandoned or saying he deserved to die. Jackie was almost cheerful and ethereal.

She was beautiful; she was dressed in a silky, flowy white sheath, if she were an Angel

there were no wings. She told him to think of it like a sentence.

_Steven, you deserve love, there is nothing to be afraid of, when you let love in. _

But in the waking hours she was the pestering mosquito who would not stop gabbing.

So he stood outside apartment 4B in his crisp white shirt and best jeans. He even broke

open the box of unworn new black boots. They were a gift from someone who didn't

mean anything to him. He took off his glasses and placed them on his shirt.

Following Jackie's spiritual and Mrs. Forman's Earthly advice he knocked on the door

almost afraid of what was going to happen next. He wondered if she had to work late,

but Mrs. Forman probably knew the answer to that and she wouldn't have otherwise

nudged him on this adventure.

The door opened and Holly still with her hair in the ponytail, not full and down during

the date of their rejection dinner, was in front of him wearing her yellow PJ's and

wrapped up tight in a white bathrobe. He didn't know if he was going to be invited in or

if the door was going to be slammed back in his face.

"Hello, Steve…"

She let the words hang in the air. She didn't have much experience in these matters and he was aware of the

fact. But she tried to keep in mind the guidance she got from Kitty during their short afternoon of tea and

windmill cookies that Steven Hyde was a good man he just needed a good woman to help him see that, and to

not give up on him.

"Hi, Holly."

"Come in," she let him in her small apartment, "can I get you anything?"

"No…yeah, an answer to a question."

"Which is?"

"She won't tell me and I'm curious. How do you know Mrs. Forman?"

Holly smiled as she directed him to the white sofa.

"I suppose she wanted you to hear it from me. My Mother went to nursing school with Kitty, and one of my

aunts, the slutty one, Marsha still lives in Point Place. I can tell you the rest later. She did tell me to not give up

on you."

"She did, did she?" He wondered why she was standing up, while he was sitting on the sofa.

Hyde didn't know what to do next except to not think about what to do next and to just go with the flow of the

moment.

"She's a kind hearted woman."

"Yes she is," he took a breath, "Holly, to put it bluntly I've been an asshole. Would you give me the chance to

start over?" He felt like a 5th grade dork trying to find the courage to give a Valentine's Day card to a crush.

"I would like that very much, Steve."

"Would you like to go out for dinner?"

She paused for a few seconds, "How about for tonight we just stay here?"

"That's fine."

"I need to change…why don't you make yourself a drink?"

_Steven, you deserve love, there is nothing to be afraid of, when you let love in. _

There was a familiar magazine on the coffee table that he picked up.

_Newsweek. _

_An American Tragedy: The Point Place Murders, Twin of Fate_

_The mailing label read_

_R.. Forman_

_14 Hillview Street_

_Sarasota, FL. _

_34239_

Holly knew.

Hyde didn't need to read about something that he already experienced. He put it back on the table. He didn't

read the article in 1983 and he had no interest to read it now.

Damn it.

He didn't want her to ever know, it might not have been the most realistic of thoughts, but that was how he felt.

Hyde walked over to the small bar and realized for the first time in he couldn't remember if there was ever a

time when he didn't want a drink to numb the pain of his existence, he wanted to drink because he was happy,

or starting to feel something resembling happy.

Hyde pretended that he didn't see the 1983 article that Mrs. Forman obviously gave Holly to read and focused

on the here and now.

He and Holly deserved a real chance at least and he was going to work hard on this goal, not for Mrs. Forman,

not for Jackie's memory, but for himself.

**After**

**12:10 a.m.**

Hyde chuckled when he walked into his living room. Mrs. Forman was sitting in his leather chair fast asleep with

the dog at her feet. She wanted to wait up for him. He took the blue plaid blanket off the sofa and covered her

legs with it. He kissed her goodnight on the cheek.

She blinked her eyes open before he could leave the room.

"S-steven," she covered how mouth to stop a yawn, "You're home."

"You were waiting up for me?"

"N-no. Yes, yes, I was. So you better tell me how your date went with Holly, Mister."

"We ordered Chinese and ate in…and we're going to take it slow."

"Did you two kids kiss?"

Wow. Did he miss this lady something fierce. She could tell by the slight flush to his cheeks that they did indeed

kiss each other.

"Okay, how about tomorrow I take you out for breakfast?"

"That sounds very nice, Steven."

"Did you put your things in the _guest room_?"

It didn't seem right for Mrs. Forman to be in something labeled a guest room.

"Yeah, but I wasn't going to go to bed and miss this conversation."

He helped her out of the chair as Sid stayed sleeping.

"I know. How was Sid for you?"

"Good. I took him out for his walk."

Hyde walked Kitty to her room, as there were no nightlights to guide the way, only the moon coming in from the

windows.

"Do you need anything?" He asked as he flipped the light switch on.

"No, I'm good. You will always be my son …."

He didn't know where it came from, but he decided to stop questioning things and to just let them happen.

There wasn't a conspiracy around every corner.

Mrs. Forman made his second chance with Holly possible it wouldn't have happened without her loving guidance.

"Thank you so much for coming today," he kissed her on the cheek and hugged her goodnight, "I love you —

Mom."


	20. Fruition

**Chapter 20 **

**Fruition **

**Point Place,Wisconsin**

**May 27, 1977 (Friday)**

**9:05 p.m.**

It was going to be a hot and sticky humid night.

The doppelganger went up to the stairs in haste to make sure the hotel room was ready. The handicapped

bathroom was bigger than the standard size and the shower seat was in place. He took the paper bag from the

Rexall and put the contents on the counter. There was a box of latex gloves, baby wipes, bar of soap, a

toothbrush, and toothpaste. He had his nail clipper and razor so he didn't need to buy those. He didn't have any

deodorant. That detail wouldn't matter. Everything was perfect. Now he had to get his brother, the Forman's

would still be sleeping, so he had plenty of time, and with any luck their son Eric had a heart attack and joined

his sister and friends on the other side. He left the door open, the security wouldn't be a problem, the camera

was broken, as he went to get his brother. Hyde couldn't see, he couldn't move, the blanket smelled like death

warmed over. All he could do was let out a small muffled moan over his duct-taped mouth. His eyes went in and

out of sleep. The sound of the car door opening was minuscule at best.

"All right, Sweetie brother pie, it's time for you to get all cleaned up to see the Princess."

He was being carried, carried like carpet. Where were they going? All Hyde could hear was the word princess

before going out again. The twin closed the door with his foot and laid Hyde out on the bed. He put the

sunglasses, watch, and pinky ring on the dresser.

He unrolled the blanket before picking him up and carrying him to the bathroom floor.

"This is all for you, Steven, they don't love you like I do." He kissed him on the lips.

"We have such a busy night planned."

He stood over him to walk to the closet to take out a plastic laundry bag.

"I love you so much, do you hear me?"

Hyde moaned unintelligible sounds. "That's just the medicine I gave you…I have so

much to do…" The twin ripped open the box of latex gloves. "Better start with the gross

stuff first, who else is going to do this? The wretched Kitty Forman? I doubt it."

"You think I'm a bastard, don't you?"

He had to pull in one swift hard motion to take off the boots that were on for 3 months.

"It's okay, the water will help when I put the shower on. Let's undress you. We're going

to see the Princess tonight."

The odor was putrid as he shoved Hyde's beyond repair clothes into the plastic laundry bag until he was left in

what was his white t-shirt and briefs. He grabbed the blue plastic box of baby wipes off the counter.

"Who am I kidding? Kitty would probably relish in the thought of wiping your ass. It's not really right that you

get two mothers and I had none. I think Eric might be dead. Won't that be awesome for Red and Kitty to lose

both of their children? They're too old to have any more babies, that's if they get to live. We'll see how tonight

goes."

Hyde moved his head back and forth in slow-motion as if he were caught between the states of dream and

reality.

_[[h—hu—rt…m—me.]]_

After five minutes the doppelganger made sure all of the garbage was in the bag before taking his gloves off.

"I brought you fresh underwear for later and new clothes….same as my clothes…oh, it's going to be fun."

He took off his underwear and put them in the filled laundry bag.

"You know, Steven, I am smarter than you. Hell, I'm even more better looking than you. I see that I even have a

bigger penis than yours. I'm going to have to cut your fingernails…..I don't have time to do the toenails, but

we're both going to be wearing socks….Then we'll shave our faces. It didn't take you long to grow a

beard….we'll both be matchie for Jackie!"

When the twin was finished with the grooming tasks he had time to complete, he undressed as well.

He turned the shower on as he picked up his brother to place him on the shower seat where Hyde slid back as

he didn't have the energy needed to sit upright.

"I'll take care of you, Steven….."

He wasn't going to take a risk and take his handcuffs or the secured rope off him. The torn jeans were made for

the trash bin anyway. There was one last game to play to test the fair Jackie's loyalty.

"Do you love me?"

"y-es."

It didn't take long for Not Hyde to give himself and his brother a shower. The difficult part was going to be

dressing him. Hyde was on the shower seat still unable to sit up straight, his body in so much pain; the violation

he felt that would have to be filed and put in the drawer marked 'Later'. The twin dried himself off with a towel

and decided to get dressed first as his brother air-dried.

"I love you, Steven. I really do. No one else loves you in the ways that I do. I got rid of them for you. When I'm

done with them…..it'll just be us….and we can sleep in bed together before we die as one_….that's all I ever _

_wanted_…." He zipped up his blue jeans making sure that everything was exact, from the jeans, to the black

t-shirt, to the same kind of white socks. He went over to Hyde and kissed him on the lips.

"While you're naked…we should brush your teeth incase you spit up on me."

He harshly opened the toothbrush from its plastic case and opened the toothpaste before jamming it into his

brother's mouth. He kept the action up for five minutes as he made sure to brush twice. His breath was

disgusting and for good measure he used the same toothbrush on his own teeth as well.

"Can you spit?" He closed his brother's mouth shut to force him to swallow the toothpaste instead; he wiped his

face with a washcloth.

"That wasn't so bad was it? Now we'll get you dressed…and then the games can fully begin, my brother dear."

When the bathroom was cleaned up and Hyde was dressed his brother carried him straight to the bed and

made sure both of the handcuffs were attached to the vertical long wooden bedpost.

"Now we can't have you making a scene so let's just unplug this phone for good measure…."

He went to the drawer to take out his role of duct tape and put another piece over Hyde's mouth.

"Just incase you wake up when I'm gone…. now I'm going to go for a bit, hopefully your eyes will open

more…..and I'll be bringing your beautiful Jackie to you." The twin put his hands through Hyde's hair and kissed

him on the neck and then the cheek. "Let's see if Jackie can pass the test."

Hyde's eyes fluttered, he felt worse than before if that was at all possible. He was able to lean against the wall

to stop from falling over.

"Don't worry, Steven, it will soon be all over and then you will be all mine. _Forever. _The way our slut of a mother

intended us to be. I'll be back soon." The twin smiled as he turned off the light before leaving the motel room.

**After Jackie***

**20 Minutes Later**

Hyde was starting to come down from whatever substance his brother put in his body and he realized he was

handcuffed to the bedpost in a cheap motel. His ankles were still tied with rope. There was no use trying to beg

for help through his taped mouth. He looked down, even though the lights were off, his sense of smell worked

fine, he was clean, and his clothes were changed.

What else did his twin do to him while he was out of it? The door opened and the lights were turned back on.

"Sweetie, you have to stop being fresh! We're almost there." He propped her up so if anyone walked by they

would think she was just drunk.

Hyde was glad to see that Jackie was still alive.

_[[What have you done to her?]]_

He noticed his sunglasses, ring, and watch was on the dresser.

His twin carried Jackie to the bathroom and gently put her in the bathtub before shutting

the door, she wouldn't be knocked out for long. He took off his boots and placed them on the other side of the

bed.

The doppelganger walked over to rip the tape from his brother's mouth.

Hyde noticed they were wearing the same black t-shirt and the same faded jeans. It became apparent what his

other half wanted to do.

"What have you done to her?"

"She just took a simple glass of water. I'm sorry about your boo-boo…" Hyde slightly flinched, his brother cut

into his pinky and put a band-aid around it, he already had a bandage around his own little finger.

When Red woke up from his nap, he was probably going to be on the look out for them,

so let him see the El Camino in the parking lot. By the time Red Forman got here, if he even arrived, the rebel

and the princess would be dead.

He walked over to Hyde and put his hands on his shoulders. "I'm so glad that you are fully awake, Steven, I love

you…" Then his hands moved to his face as he kissed him passionately on the lips. Hyde was repulsed, but he

didn't want to say or think anything that would cause him to kill Jackie.

He had his handgun behind his shirt.

"If you try anything, I'm going to shoot her in front of you and you can watch her die…after all of this, it'll just be

the two of us, us blood brothers…._we'll leave the world together as we entered the world together."_

Hyde watched as his brother walked over to the dresser to put his roll of duct tape away and took out a pair of

handcuffs and some more rope. Hyde didn't realize that they were trick ones.

"I bet you wonder what I'm going do…I'm going to handcuff myself to the other side of the bed, but first I have

to tie my ankles together…" loosely, but that wasn't necessary as long as the tricked-out handcuffs worked,

"May the best man win."

**Princess**

Jackie had a massive headache; she didn't remember much after drinking the glass of water at her parent's

house. She looked around; she was in a hotel bathroom. She was in the bathtub and the porcelain was still wet

on her skin. She slightly grunted and thought that the sound was so un-like herself, she was supposed to be a

bubbly, slightly snobby, carefree cheerleader. She held onto the edges of the tub and tried to stand up, she put

her hand on the bar. That fake Steven was out there, but maybe her real boyfriend was also out there. She was

too frightened to speak. There was a bag on the floor, it smelled vile and disgusting, but she was overcome with

the sensation to bend down, because it hurt too much to stay upright, and look inside….it smelled like a bag of

dirty diapers, and she could see the clothes, hair shavings, and soiled baby wipes.

Her Steven was here.

Jackie thought she was going to throw up and covered her mouth as she forced herself up and kept her hands

on the sink, she took a few deep breaths. There was going to be nothing left to do, but open the door to see

what was on the other side.

**End Game**

Hyde watched his brother put his hand across his stomach and bend down, hyperventilating, or pretending to at

least. The twin fixed his position and smiled at his brother on the way up.

"Help! J—Jackie!"

The fucking bastard.

"She'll know the difference."

"We'll see about that." He whispered.

The door opened and Jackie started to run and then she stopped by the end of the bed there were 2 Steven's.

Finding out the information beforehand and then seeing it in front of your face were entirely two different things.

She let out a gasp and cupped her hands over her mouth.

What if she chose the wrong one?

"Jackie, it's me! I'm Steven!"

"Don't listen to him….I'm Steven, he's my psycho twin brother…..he held me hostage for months and killed

everyone that we care about!"

Jackie paced and scratched her hair, "I can't tell you two apart!" she cried.

"Ask me a question/ask me a question"

_[[Damn it.]] _

_You won't win._

"Um, oh," Steven had an identical twin? He never mentioned one. There was a rumor that he had a half-brother

from one of Edna's weekend jaunts, but this was something that Edna and Bud Hyde must have kept from him

for all of these years. She didn't know what kind of questions to ask, everyone's – well everyone who was

left; their lives were on the line. It was too much for the young adolescent girl to handle. "Um, who is my

favorite group?"

"Abba/Abba."

Hyde hated seeing Jackie caught in one of his twin's mind games. He wished he could do something, but he

knew his brother's rope was not tied as tight and although they looked real enough, those handcuffs had to be

fake as well. His brother was going to kill her, and he couldn't stop it from happening. Maybe, he could try to say

something and not be penalized for it later.

"He's going to kill you, Jackie!"

"Don't listen to him, he's the one that's going to kill the both of us, dollface."

Jackie started to cry, she was doing well up until that point, yeah, he knew one of Steven's pet names for her,

but the other Steven said that they were in danger.

_Who should she believe?_

When shocks happen, the events take place so fast, that you don't see it happening. A group of drunk teenage

kids in a Pontiac don't see the family station wagon that they are about to collide with, a young girl doesn't

realize she was sexually violated because it was under the impression that it was something that they both

wanted, that she had no time to react to being electrocuted in the bathtub, so Hyde, nor his brother, didn't

count on Red Forman entering with his hunting rifle a few minutes later as Jackie's brain continued to process

the two Steven's in front of her. She never thought she could be rendered speechless.

"Red, oh thank God you're here! I'm Hyde! We've been held hostage by this psycho!"

"He's not Hyde! I am…."

Jackie stayed standing at the edge of the bed, she still couldn't tell, they looked exactly the same. Her feet were

cold, but the worn carpet on the floor was warm. She felt like she was compairing two apples in

the grocery store. If one was different, yet similar, you couldn't really tell. The pressure was off her and she was

grateful that Red found them.

"I found Eric." He lied to the two Steven's. Red Forman didn't worry about the details, one of those boys wasn't

Steven Hyde, the one he loved like his second son, and the other one wasn't, it was as simple as that.

"At Edna's with the spiders/At Edna's with the spiders."

What?

Jackie thought that there had to be away to tell them apart. She was silently rooting for Mr. Forman. He was

a veteran of the U.S. Navy; surely he would be able to stop this charade from going any further.

"Red, I'm Hyde!"

"No, he's not, I'm Hyde!"

The doppelganger was happy on the inside; he had them right where he wanted them. He was certain that the

old man was a good shot. But there was the Princess looking demure, vulnerable, and sexy in that long white

nightgown. He could pop open the cuffs, reach for his gun, and drag her into the bathroom. But he wanted his

brother to see her die. He was in worse situations. He noticed that Red Forman had closed the door to the room

with the back of his foot. Did anyone see him come up here with his precious hunting rifle? His brother was

bound and there was nothing he really could do, he could scream as his mouth wasn't taped. Red Forman was

the obstacle. He needed to find away to get rid of the old man before he could do anything else.

"Jackie, I love you….."

Hyde couldn't take much more of this bullshit. The only thing standing in the way of their freedom was his

unstable twin, who could say the right things even when he still couldn't. "No, I love you…I'm Steven, Jackie. You

have to believe me."

"No, I'm Steven, and I love you Jackie…Only you."

Hyde thought that might be their only hope. If he got lost into those thoughts, he would make a crucial mistake.

Even though he was handcuffed and bound to the bedpost, for the first time since this whole thing started, he

felt he could call the shots.

"Don't listen to him, I love you, Jackie."

"No! I love you, Jackie…..Mr. Forman, you need to point that gun at my brother, I'm Hyde. You don't want to

make a mistake and shoot the wrong person."

"Oh, I won't be making a mistake. Jackie, I'd prefer it if you'd lock yourself into the bathroom." Red instructed

"No! I want to stay here."

"Jackie, I love you…" Hyde whispered, he was starting to feel faint, he just wanted this ordeal to be over with.

"No! It's me….I'm Steven, and I love you, Jackie." In one quick move he popped open the fake handcuffs and

reached from behind his shirt.

"Jackie, at least close your eyes!" Steven would never talk like that and Red could tell that he was packing heat

he aimed for the heart and pulled the trigger as the doppelganger wasn't quick enough to undo the loosely tied

rope on his ankles and made it one foot away from Jackie.

It was almost over.

"Steven!" She looked at the right man that was handcuffed to the bed.

The twin smiled as his head hit the sharp end of the dresser and before he fell to the floor

in a hard thud, he had the final words to say to his brother, "I-l—o—ved y—you." Red was

content to let Jackie run to Steven. He kissed her full on the lips._ yes, this was her Steven._

She was able to undo the rope, but she had no idea where the key to handcuffs were. Red found them

on the dresser and gave them to her.

"Jackie, I love you," Once Hyde was able to he embraced her tight, "Did he hurt you?"

"I love you too, Steven. I don't want to talk about it right now…. how are you?"

"Mrs. Forman is going to make me go the doctor's isn't she?"

"You bet your ass and so am I." Red added

"Steven!" Jackie cried as Hyde fainted in her arms from the pure exhaustion of it all.

She got on her knees and held his body close to hers, giving him kisses and comforting

words that they would all be okay now.

Red plugged the phone back in the wall to call the police and two ambulances.

They had to get Eric, and to think he passed Edna's soon to be condemned house on the way

to this craphole motel.

The elder Forman would have died if something happened to his kids and that included

the Loud One.

He tried to breathe a sigh of relief, but the real pain, in surviving ordeals such as these, was just

beginning, and as a veteran who had seen a lot of horror during wartime, he knew the

worse was yet to come.

Their family would never be the same again.

_Articles in the Point Place Chronicle_

_Mystery adolescent killer identified as James Steven Hyde, held his identical twin _

_brother, Steven James Hyde, hostage for months. _

_Page 3_

_Shot dead in self defense by decorated Navy veteran Red Forman _

_Page 5_

_Body of Edna Elaine Hyde found in _

_Michigan _

_Page 7_

_Public memorial for Michael Kevin Kelso, Fez, and Donna Marie Pinciotti_

_to be held before the July 4th holiday at the local church, services provided by Youth_

_Minister, affectionately known to the kids as Pastor Dave._

_Page 8  
_

**Author's Note: **

***What happened to Jackie takes place in Chapter 18,_ Accelerated. _**

**Special thanks to Marla's Lost, nannygirl, and DFT for all of your help and advice.  
**


	21. Torn

**Chapter 21**

**Torn**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**May 7, 1987 (Thursday)**

**8:35 a.m.**

Kitty was torn.

She loved reconnecting with Steven, she was happily shocked that he started to refer to her as Mom, that was

one of the words she had always wanted to hear from him. It made her heart feel joyful. Granted, they didn't

talk about the events of 1977, she knew it was too painful for him to relive the details and without her Red by

her side, and knowing what his twin brother did to her daughter, Laurie, she really wanted to focus on the

present. Kitty thought Holly was a nice girl and a perfect match for the young man that she loved like a son. She

was certain wherever Jackie was in the spirit realm that she was watching over him and guiding Steven in his

quest for normalcy. While Kitty loved this time in California, she missed Eric. He came a long way from his brief

bout of agoraphobia, he wasn't afraid to leave the house and he wasn't fearful of being left alone in the house,

otherwise Kitty would not have gone to Santa Cruz with Holly to reclaim her relationship with Steven. He got up

early, she didn't question it, she was certain he wasn't operating on much sleep, to cook breakfast for the dog

and take him for his morning walk. She decided to straighten up the house, there were unopened boxes of

appliances stashed in the back of the cupboards. A waffle maker, an espresso machine, and the holy grail of

kitchen gadgetry - Kitty couldn't believe it as she pulled it out from its lonely place in the rear and placed it on

top of the counter. She was so enamored with the best find ever in front of her that she didn't hear Hyde enter

through the back door as Sid walked slowly in front of him.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"Steven, I'm fine. I can't believe that you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer and you didn't even open it!"

He smiled. In the best possible way _his mother _was one of a kind.

"It came with the house."

"I can see you not using the waffle maker or the espresso machine…but not a Kitchen Aid Mixer!"

It was red and shiny, she really wanted to open it, but it wasn't hers.

"You can have it….."

He didn't expect two petite arms to go around him as she gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you, Steven! I don't suppose you have any flour do you?"

Kitty deserved all of the happiness in the world and more. Hyde had a feeling he was going to have to make a

trip to the store. He walked over by the phone and ripped a piece of paper, trying not to let the noise bother

him, from the cube and grabbed an ink pen.

"I suppose you're going to need more than flour….."

She could make some cookies for Steven to take to Holly. She wished that Eric was here that way he could have

some as well.

"I don't want to be any trouble, Steven."

"Mom, you couldn't be any trouble if you tried." It was great having her here, Hyde hoped his thought wasn't

selfish, he did miss Eric, and they were going to have to try to make things right, but if it made him an asshole or

not, he didn't care.

He didn't want her to leave.

**That same day**

**Sarasota, FL**

**9:30 a.m. **

This was so typical.

Eric finally crumbled the note from his mother and put it in the trash basket by the side of his desk. She didn't

just go to California with her friend's daughter, well that might have been the minor reason, but the major

reason was she was going to see Hyde. Eric wasn't stupid. He wasn't afraid to be alone anymore and he slowly

got out of his agoraphobia. Hyde avoided them for 8 years, she was going to anoint him as the favorite son

again and it pissed Eric Forman off. Of course, Hyde didn't attend Red's or Jackie's funerals, and he would be

rewarded for it. It was like when he got a C on his class work, the family praised him, but if Eric got a B, Red

complained that he was a dumbass that couldn't get an A.

_Superduper C._

Eric tried to be as compassionate as humanly possible. _He knew Hyde didn't have it easy, but the thing was_

_none of them did. _He knew he suffered the worst of it. Not one of them knew he had a twin brother, and none

of them knew how dangerous of a mind that twin had. They all were grief stricken over the loss of their family

and friends. While Red and Jackie weren't murdered by the doppelganger, their deaths were an unfortunate

side effect of the tragedies that happened in 1977. Red couldn't handle the police call that came when they

found and identified Laurie's remains, not far from where Edna Hyde's body was found in Michigan, it was a

blessing or a curse, Eric wasn't sure, that they didn't find them at the time. It did keep Red alive longer. It was

difficult for everyone and that's what Hyde conveniently forgot. _It was difficult for EVERYONE._ There was many a

night when Eric needed a friend to talk to, a friend to hang out with, and there were times when he had his

own share of nightmares or flashbacks in the daytime, he could've used a phone call on the anniversary of

Donna's death, if on no one else's. A letter. He was a writer, but he ironically never wrote to them. _And now, he_

_was going to be back in Kitty's good graces and Eric was going to be a prick if he didn't forgive him. _

_Fuck that._

He didn't have a job at the moment, he didn't feel that bad, other than the fact of wishing that he had

something to do, but he had his money from Red invested in a special account. He opened up his top drawer

and took out his tablet and a pen. He missed Jackie, she was a good friend, he wasn't delusional, he knew her

heart always belonged to Hyde; they were thrown together under the circumstances of it all. They were friends

with benefits; he wished he could've stopped her from committing suicide, she said in her note that she didn't

want to create a scene and tried to do it in as calming of a way as possible. He was the one to find her dead

body on their bed, which reminded him that he did need to see Hyde if only for the final goodbye, he did have to

honor Jackie's last request and give Hyde her note to him in person.

It's what she wanted.

He opened up his notebook, filled with useless ramblings and drawings. He had drawn every turtle, rabbit, and

bear that was in the Sunday supplement since 1978. His life was in a never-ending cyclone of suck and now his

mother was going to visit Hyde in secret and he was going to be the bad guy if he didn't go along with things.

_As always. _

Why should the events of 10 years ago change the status quo of the Forman family?

He wrote on the paper with the steadiest hand that he had in ages.

_I will honor your request, Jackie. I Promise. Eric._

**Santa Cruz, California**

With Steven on the phone somewhere else in the house after he returned from the grocery store with the items

that she needed to start her project, Kitty was able to make her famous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

Of all of the cookies she had baked over the years, _they were Steven's favorite_.


	22. Home

**Chapter 22**

**Home**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**May 28, 1977 (Saturday)**

**Point Place General Hospital **

**Time - Unspecified**

Red and Kitty Forman were on autopilot.

Red was familiar with keeping his emotions in check, but this wasn't a war situation with killing Communists. This

was about his family; he couldn't even compare it to losing a close friend or two during a battle. It really wasn't

the same, _yet his emotions needed to be the same_. He noticed Kitty, whether she would try to laugh it off with a

medicinal cocktail later, he had no idea, went straight into her role as a nurse, a caregiver to those that she

cared about. Jackie had to stay overnight for observation and of the 3, the only one the doctor's said could go

home tomorrow. Eric was on the 7th floor, there were colloquial names for it, and even Kitty used to use humor

to describe the "nut floor", "the crazy floor", "the funny farm on the 7th floor", but with her son heavily sedated

and in a strait jacket she couldn't use those terms. She just wanted him out of there. He had a few spider bites

on his face and arms, but that was the only thing physically wrong with him. Then there was Steven also

sedated, hooked up to an IV. Kitty, in her street clothes, let the doctor's know that she was the nurse on

duty and if they didn't like it she was going to put her foot in someone's ass. Red thought he was lucky to be

here, he thought he was going to be arrested, if it wasn't for the fact that Hyde's _brother — that was the missing_

_ piece _was reaching for his gun that after some random questioning it was decided (not by him) that it was a

matter of self-defense. He and Kitty stood outside Hyde's room. It didn't matter how they were feeling, the only

thing that mattered were the well-being of the kids.

Kitty was carrying a small purple plastic carry-all with nail scissors, clippers, gauze, medical tape, a tube of aloe

lotion, band-aids, and other assorted medical supplies.

"Red, do whatever you have to do, sign whatever you have to sign, threaten to put foots in everyone's asses,

but when Eric comes out of sedation, I don't want him to spend another night up there. I know what goes on in

the 7th floor. I don't want my baby numbed up that he loses the will to live. He's still 17 and a minor in our

care."

"Don't worry, Kitty."

Without any drugs in his system, Red felt rather numb himself, if there was a job to do, he would do it. His

feelings didn't matter. He kissed her on the cheek., "Love you." He whispered into her ear. He could bend the

rules over his distaste for PDA's just this once.

"Love you, too."

Kitty took a deep breath and went into room #409 – Hyde, Steven J.

She didn't forget what she was doing when she got the call, she finished a cup of tea, because she didn't want

to be drunk when Red called because she knew she was going to be needed. She tried to read from her Bible,

but nothing was going to comfort her until she knew the status of her kids, Kitty didn't even remember hanging

up the phone when Red called her from the hospital, she didn't recall driving the Vista Cruiser, everything was a

blur until she found Red waiting for her by the front entrance.

Kitty was so grateful that her kids were alive and breathing. That's all that mattered in the moment.

"Hi, Steven,"

She didn't want to cry or cause a scene; she knew the power of positive thinking and they

were all going to need a healthy dose of it. She kissed him on the cheek, "I'm glad that you're back to us,

Sweetie."

She couldn't believe that Edna gave birth two sons, one of them a diamond in the rough and the other one a

cold-blooded killer. The rest of the details would have to wait. When she had a spare moment she wanted to

look for his birth certificate.

"I figured this would be the best time to do this. You're going to be home soon. Eric and Jackie are going to be

fine."

She hoped that didn't seem too condescending, but nothing could be gained from negativity.

"I'm going to trim your nails, see if you have any cuts that need TLC, and to just keep

you company."

She could feel her eyes well up with water.

"A-after Red," she cleared her throat, "Takes care of Eric. I'm going to have him go to Pricemart to get you some

new socks and underwear….would you like a new robe? I think you should have one, it's pretty cold in here…..I

promise you, Steven, it'll be okay….you just focus on getting better."

Kitty could feel her words unraveling and she didn't want him to sense her nervousness over the situation.

She just wanted all of the kids back home where they belonged.

**June 2, 1977 (Thursday)**

**A Homecoming**

Hyde and Jackie were quiet on the car ride home. His first time back at the place that used to make him feel the

most secure before he was kidnapped by his brother. Jackie wanted to hold hands and he just wanted to crawl

into his own body and be left alone. Red and Kitty said little, whether that was a courtesy to Hyde or if they

were just tired he wasn't quite sure. A compromise was reached and Eric was going to be released in a few

weeks. The hospital advised against it, they wanted to send him to "special place" for "patients with his special

needs" in Chicago, but the Forman's didn't want to hear it. There was something that Hyde needed to speak to

Red about, but it never seemed to be the right time, either he was being bothered by a doctor, Jackie's touch, or

Kitty would be in the room, and although, she had every right to know, he wanted to tell Red first in private. The

car parked in the Forman driveway and Hyde didn't want to be smothered so he was able to open the door by

himself, he walked ahead of everyone and was thankful that the sliding kitchen door was open. There was

something that he needed to do.

**5 minutes Later**

The bang on the locked upstairs bathroom door and her shrill mention of his name went right through his body

from the outside in and then the inside out. Did Jackie think he was going to OD in here? Christ. He lost his

concentration and was ashamed of the results.

"Damn it, Jackie! Leave me alone!"

Did this bastard have to take away everything?

He waited until he heard her walk in the opposite direction and down the stairs. He zipped his jeans back up

and reached for a clean towel to clean up the mess. He could throw this towel into the hamper, but what worse

than a talk now, would be a discussion later. Hyde folded the towel and opened the door with his stop being

the basement.

"Steven!" Jackie didn't get far, he was surprised she actually made it downstairs, "What….ew….why does that

towel smell like pee?"

"Jackie, didn't I tell you to shut the fuck up?"

He walked passed her shocked face and hoped that Red and Kitty wouldn't say anything. At least there was no

party with balloons, streamers, and a Welcome Home banner as if he were a soldier returning home from the

battlefields of war. Kitty was on the phone and Red wasn't in the kitchen. He made his slow walk to the

basement. He threw the towel into the washing machine and the sound of it going on, he never noticed how

fucking loud it was before. While he was upstairs someone brought his belongings downstairs and placed his

duffle bag on the worn sofa. He sat on his familiar white kitchen chair with no interest to put on the TV, Hyde

had no desire to do anything at the moment.

_He just wanted to be left alone for a while._

**2 Weeks Later**

**12:19 a.m.**

Hyde wanted all of his clothes burned.

He couldn't wear what this bastard touched.

Everything was in a box and when no one was around to bother him, he was able to buy some new used

clothes at the Salvation Army. Jackie was allowed to stay in Laurie's old room. It was only a matter of time. He

couldn't sleep down here anymore, but with the Forman's limited space, he chose to sleep on the sofa. That

bastard raped and killed his mother, gave Fez drugs that looked like candy, Kelso was attacked by dogs, Donna

was raped (even though she thought it was mutually agreed upon sex with him) and electrocuted.

Everyone else was barely surviving.

Kitty had to work a double shift because they were going to need the money. Hyde couldn't bring himself to

work at the Fotohut yet. It was going to happen and he wanted to relieve Kitty who lavished him with even

more hugs and kisses, and this time he didn't pull back, at least not at first.

He walked up the stairs and headed up the main stairs in the living room. Poor Kitty looked even more

exhausted than he ever remembered. He couldn't tell Red what he needed to just yet. She was sitting in a chair

alongside Eric's bed.

Time was not doing anything for Eric Forman's wounds.

As if on invisible cue Eric woke up screaming.

"Get them off me! The spiders are on me! Mommy, help me!"

Jackie wandered in the doorway. Her heart ached for everyone, gone were the days of her being even the

slightest self-centered.

"I'm here son, so are Hyde and Jackie and your father….."

What did Red get for his bravery? A pink slip from PriceMart because the corporate chain felt a vigilante was not

good for business. Red thought the only thing saving him from being jail right now was that Hyde's twin was

reaching for the handgun that was on his body.

She sat next to Eric who was clinging to his mother as if he were a toddler having a nightmare about the

boogeyman.

Kitty was going to call off from work.

"No, Mrs. Forman, I'll handle this….."

He hoped James Steven Hyde (how original Edna was in choosing names for the sons she never even wanted)

was burning in Hell somewhere.

"I'll put on the coffee…."

Jackie said trying to find her role in this whole situation.

It was going to be another long night. She was starting to get used to Steven's up and down moods. He usually

would apologize after and she knew it was going to take a long time before they could even be themselves

again.

Red kissed Kitty on the cheek as he watched Hyde protect his best friend and defacto brother. She could feel

actual tears run down her husband's real-men-don't-cry cheeks.

"Steven, go downstairs with Jackie, I don't want her alone in the kitchen. I'll handle this one," he instinctively

cleared his throat.

"Get the spiders off me! They're crawling all over me!" Eric cried not aware that a 3rd person within 5 minutes

was holding him to keep his hands from trying to take off the invisible spiders that he was certain were all over

his body.

Both Red and Kitty put their foot down after the doctors' suggested he be put away for good, he'd never get

better if he were locked up in an insane asylum. He didn't need to do pointless arts and crafts and he loaded up

with anti-depressants, he, and everyone else, needed the love of a good family to get them through this. They

got a postcard from Bob he was living in Mississippi and opened up a Donna's bait and tackle shop to ease his

pain. The house was boarded up and for sale and no one showed an interest in buying it. Kitty kissed everyone

goodbye as Jackie poured three cups of coffee in the happy yellow mugs at the kitchen table. Red would be

joining them as soon as he got Eric back to sleep.

"I'm so glad to have you back, Steven." He didn't want to talk about his experiences, not with Jackie, with any

doctor, certainly not with any psychiatrist, and even though he felt he owed the world to them, not even with

Mr. and Mrs. Forman.

She kissed his hand, "Would you like any Girl Scout Cookies? I think there is one box of shortbread left."

"No," he tried to smile in the face of it all, _"They're Red's cookies."_

**Author's Note: When this was a large one-shot before I made it a multi chaptered story I wrote this little **

**note for what was supposed to be the upcoming "chapter 2". Eric deals with agoraphobia, Hyde and Jackie **

**recover, Red and Kitty do their best to keep their family in one piece, and Hyde learns more about his twin **

**brother from an unlikely visitor.**


	23. Tick

**Chapter 23**

**Tick  
**

**Santa Cruz, California**

**May 7, 1987**

**11:23 a.m.**

Kitty sighed.**  
**

Kitty couldn't believe the stuff that Steven had accumulated over the years that he didn't realize he had or what

came with the house, which made Kitty wonder who lived here for before him? It must have been a family with

all of the unopened appliances that were in the cupboards. She was surprised that he didn't come out for a

fresh warm-out-of-the-oven-chewy cookie. She found a nice silver metal tin, it had silver snowflakes designed on

it, and the printed on label on the bottom said they used to contain butter cookies, it might have been May, but

who cared?

It was a pretty tin and Holly would appreciate it. On her store list was 2 boxes of Cut-Rite Wax Paper

that she needed to line the tin with. Her Steven didn't complain, he went to the store for her and then said he

had to "do something." She wished that there was a ribbon or bow to finish the presentation.

Her mind tried to flashback to the good times when Eric, Steven, Jackie, and the rest of their friends would hang

out in the basement and when she was off from the hospital, whether it be her day off, or from one their

breaks. She always made sure to have homemade goodies for the kids. She was proud that _for a brief shining_

_moment it was her house that the neighborhood kids flocked to; she was the cool Mom on the block. _When Red

would come home tired from work and the kids were off doing their brand of mischief, she would let him have a

treat before supper.

It was best to keep your man happy in all of the rooms in the house, but Kitty felt, it was the

kitchen where she excelled, it was her sanctuary, maybe if she had made some effort in Sarasota to give Red

more comfort he'd still be alive today.

Now was not the time to cry, she had to finish Holly's cookie tin. It really was starting to worry her, why Hyde

wasn't making his presence known. Maybe, he was taking a nap; she knew it was difficult for him to get a good

night's sleep.

This always happened.

Hyde was on his side, tired, exhausted was more like it, and yet when he would try to sleep, he couldn't. When

he tried to not focus his mind, he was betrayed, the mosquito hadn't pestered him lately and nothing was

revealed in his dreams other than a stark blackness. He held his pillows and ignored the grinding, the absolute

grinding sounds, that were starting to come to the surface again. It was like when you were a little kid at

Funland, with your best friend and his parents, because your own parents couldn't be bothered. You were in the

front roller coaster car, because it was funny to see your best friend freak out over the ride, and the tick-tick-tick

of the chain as you went up the track that was in his mind multiplied by 1000. There was no release like when

the car goes down the hill and you scream out of relief, or fear mixed with vomit if you were Forman, there was

no satisfaction, just the grinding tick-tick-tick sound that played in your head like a LP that skipped in the

groove. It could go on for infinity until someone or something stopped it. Sid was awake as Hyde was facing him,

what a good companion to stay and never complain. He knew he had to get up or his Mom would come in here

and check on him and he didn't want to be checked-on, yet he didn't want her to leave.

He sat on the edge of the bed and that's how far he got, it was easier to get lost in spending time with his dog

than being reward with cookies. He knew what she was going to make as the only ingredients that he had in

the house already were the peanut butter and eggs. It was a silent torture to go to the grocery store during

normal morning hours, but he did it for his Mother. Kitty Forman was sweet, provided that you didn't cross her;

she was known to hold a grudge with her family until they smartened up. So Hyde wondered why was he

getting off relatively scott-free for avoiding the family for 8 years and missing Jackie and Red during their final

moments?

How come she wasn't screaming at him? Kitty Forman should be absolutely livid at Steven Hyde, but yet, he still

wanted her to stay here, for keeps.

And it wasn't just about her…..

Sid cried and Hyde knew he had no choice; he had to get up to face the moment for the second time today.

**2 hours later**

Holly felt ashamed.

She wasted a lot of money in the space of a few hours. What do women do on their vacation from work? They

shop. Or at least she didn't really until she had a boyfriend and realized how stupid she looked in preppy polo

shirts and khaki's. It looked very uniform, which was more than how the modern nurse's uniform looked in

comparison. She went out of her comfort zone. She was going to have to return all of the pink, v-neck sweaters,

shoes with kitten heels, and her first push-up bra, not that she needed help in that area; it was the principle of

the purchase. It was wasted money on clothes that were out of her safety zone. What was she thinking? She

took her keys out of her purse and blushed about 1000 shades of pink when she noticed her boyfriend, she did

like the sound of that, her boyfriend, knocking at her door, holding a silver tin. It was futile attempt of trying to

hide the shopping bags behind her back and she felt like throwing them in the elevator before the doors closed.

"Hi, Holly." Hyde turned around, he smelled her perfume.

She smiled, "Hi, Steve…what's in the tin?"

"What's behind your back?"

She tossed him the keys, then realized that might have been a very insensitive thing to do. Give her a medical

crisis and she was fine, but socializing with a man, her boyfriend, and she felt like she was a bumbling idiot.

"Sorry…..Open the door." She was going to have to throw these bags on the bed; he couldn't see all of the

wrong things that she had purchased. Men didn't have these issues they wore very casual clothes or business

suits, pick something from those two sections of the store and be done with it. It was so different and personal

when a woman went shopping.

"It's okay." He did manage to catch them with one hand and wondered why was she so embarrassed?

"…to answer your question just things that have to go back to the store."

He opened the door with her keys. There was that issue…he couldn't ask, not yet; they just vowed to take it

slow with each other. Hyde wouldn't put pressure on her. It was ironic, when he was younger, he never would

want to ask such a question and now it was on his mind for a while. It wasn't about the sex; he respected her

reasons and decisions as to wait. It was about building something.

Hyde let her walk in first, those lessons came from the Forman's certainly not his poor excuse of a family. Holly

kissed Hyde on the cheek. "Why did you shave your moustache off?"

"Just felt like it….." and hated that ever present buzzing sound of the razor, "to answer your other

question….Mom made cookies."

"What kind?"

"Peanut butter chocolate chip."

"I think I love Kitty….I'll meet you in the kitchen….."

Holly walked to her small little bedroom. The kind of room, even though this was her own apartment, where you

could only dream about your boyfriend, you couldn't bring him back here.

She opened up the plastic bag that was inside the silver mall shopping bag with the white handles, first the cost

of the sweater could buy a weeks worth of groceries and it didn't seem right, it had a pretty low kind of v-neck.

Girl's like her didn't wear push-up bras. They were definitely going to go back to the store tomorrow.

She put the little bag back inside the big one and took a deep breath before entering the kitchen.

"Miss me?" she asked

Hyde took the liberty of pouring 2 small glasses of milk and found a plate in the dish rack to put the cookies on.

"Always…" He pulled her close, so that she would sit on his lap.

Where was that little mosquito and her love advice? He could feel a slight headache forming; he just wanted to

stay in the present with his girlfriend.

He broke a cookie in half and handed it to her, "Have a cookie, Cookie."

Did he just give her a nickname?

"Hmm, these are very good…..I don't suppose Kitty used healthy ingredients…"

"Then I can tell you they wouldn't taste this good. What did you buy at the store today?"

"Nothing…it's all going back…"

Holly liked sitting on Hyde's lap, she wasn't that timid to deny that she liked how that felt very much.

"Why?"

"They were just the wrong clothes…."

Should she be one of those girls and just kiss her boyfriend as to change the subject? No, she didn't want to

manipulate their touch in anyway.

"I don't get it." Hyde admitted

"They weren't the right clothes for a woman like me….." She felt that she was revealing too much as it were.

"What does a woman like you wear?"

She stood up not knowing if she should run off or wash her hands in the sink.

"Holly, what is it?"

He stood up as well, ignoring his own pounding headache, the cookies probably weren't good for that, but they

were his favorite and he hadn't had them in 9 years. Hyde put his hands on Holly's shoulders. They were as stiff

as his.

"Nothing," she wasn't going to cry over something that she felt was very trivial, "I bought clothes today that

weren't what I normally buy. You don't understand, Steve. You're a guy. I wanted to be pretty for you…but I

failed miserably." That did it, the tears started to flow out of her blue-gray eyes.

He turned her around to face him.

"Holly, you are very pretty….."

"You have to say that…."

Accepting compliments were hard; they were difficult for him before any of that mess started. Not with the guys,

they joked around, burned each other in the figurative sense. Guys don't compliment really, unless there was

some kind of crisis going on. But those first years getting to know Mrs. Forman, Mom, being thrown in a bubble

bath with Eric, eating the first homemade cookie, and getting the first hug from her were hard to accept, he

wished he could go back to that time, so his little body could appreciate someone loving him.

"I mean what I say…you're gorgeous…." He didn't want to bring up the night of what was the rejection dinner,

but Holly was stunning with her hair down and her dark royal blue dress, come to think of it, if Jackie wore that

dress with the spaghetti straps, she wouldn't have fastened the middle part in the front with a pin. It was a nice

pin, it was a silver swirl with clear crystals….he was starting to understand what she was getting at. She was

wrong, but he understood where she was coming from. This was the reason why he tried breaking up with her.

He was the inferior one. Not her. She thought she was the inferior one. Not him.

They were both wrong.

"No, I'm not….."

"We can play this game all day, and sorry, Cookie, you're going to lose…why don't you let me see you in one of

your outfits before you decide to take them back to the store?"

He kissed her on the lips.

She sighed, "Okay…do you want to watch a movie? I promise no Lifetime."

Hyde laughed, "We can watch whatever you want…."

Where was the mosquito to tell him that he was doing a great job? And that he and Holly were a great couple?

Where was his encouragement?

Holly couldn't bring herself to wear the push-up bra; maybe, she could save it for when they actually went

around one of the so-called bases. She wasn't lacking in that area, so it would be okay to skip that step. Should

she wear the pink v-neck, that would mean she'd have to take off the bra she was currently wearing because it

was too big and thick and the v-cut was too low, she did have a white camisole in her drawer that she bought

on impulse last year, maybe she could wear that, and the little ruffled edges would be a nice little buffer with

the plunging neckline. She couldn't go braless, the '70s were over. Now her khaki pants didn't match, she'd have

to wear the gray skirt. It was flowy, less industrial than the skirts she normally would purchase, and with no

stockings, there was no turning back now. She took off her socks and settled on the new light pink kitten heels.

This was not her kind of look at all, but at least the scalloped camisole made her feel more at ease then

if she didn't have that security barrier. Holly put on some more of her perfume; it was Avon's Pearls & Lace and

hoped for the best.

Hyde didn't want Holly to feel even more self-conscious so he sat down and turned on the TV.

_The Price is Right_ was on and that made him think of Jackie, he put the mute button on, he figured they could

decide on a movie together. He almost dropped the remote control on the floor when Holly came into the living

room.

This was what was she worried about?

"This is what you were worried about? You look beautiful, Holly and I'm going to keep telling you so, until you

believe me."

"I think it's too much….." she sat next to him on the sofa.

She kicked off her heels so she could put her legs up on his. "Did you find something good on TV?"

Hyde smiled, "I'm sure I can find something….but I much prefer being in the company of a beautiful woman such

as yourself…."

"Thank you, Steve….."

They snuggled into each other on the sofa and they never did find anything to watch on TV for the rest of the

afternoon.

**Author's Note: Thanks to Marla's Lost who was my Beta for this chapter and who along with nannygirl lets **

**me bounce ideas around. I appreciate it. **


	24. Tock

**Chapter 24 **

**Tock**

**Point Place, Wisconsin**

**June 17, 1977 (Friday)**

**Author's Note: This short description was supposed to be the intro to "Chapter 2" back when this story was **

**starting to get extra long and I decided to make it a multi chaptered one. So here is a Short Description: **

**Eric ****kept to the house. Kitty and Red were supportive of this at first, but felt he should be in school with **

**Jackie and ****Hyde. They brought his schoolwork home for him. Red was seeking legal council that Price Mart **

**fired him on ****illegal grounds.**

**Hyde quit the Fotohut and got a job at the Hub. Kitty was working her fingers to the bone and Hyde and Red **

**could sense if she didn't take care of herself she was going to wind up in the hospital. Sometimes, Hyde can **

**tell ****that Jackie sometimes twitches around him. What follows is the aftermath of their entanglement with **

**James ****Steven Hyde & a bit of dark humor that causes everyone to forget about their troubles for awhile.**

**First an unlikely visitor shows up on the Forman doorstep.**

"Fuck," Red sighed, "It just keeps getting better. Come in."

"Is Steven home?"

"No, he works after school."

Red wasn't sociable like his wife was, so he wasn't about to break out the soda pop and snack mix.

He looked at his watch and decided to wait for Steven in the driveway. Eric would be okay, he was doing what

he did every day before supper; he had a nap after Jackie dropped off his homework. She got involved in the

yearbook staff, art class, as well as her cheerleading duties. _She had to keep busy._

"Oh Fuck," Hyde sighed like Red had done 20 minutes ago, "I'll take care of it. Thanks, Red." He slapped his

shoulder.

"Hi, Steven."

"Let's go in the kitchen, Bud. I'll give you a chance to say your peace, and then you can leave, like you did when

you came back into my life…..and that was after you were here for a year!"

"I'm sorry about that, Steven, I'm sorry about a lot of things in my life."

"Why didn't you or Edna tell me about my twin?"

"We gave him up for adoption. How about a drink? A non-alcoholic drink."

"There's the sink..." Hyde pointed behind him

Bud got up, he deserved it, and he opened the cupboard and took out a glass and drank the tepid tap water.

"Like I was so wanted…" Hyde did wonder what everyone's life would be like if it was his brother who was kept

and he was the one put up for adoption. James Steven was a psycho he probably would have grown up to do

the exact same things regardless.

"Your mother and I made a lot of mistakes…" he let his voice trail off not realizing how that pause sounded to

the young man who had survived what he thought was the worst of it in front of him.

"Thanks a lot for that."

"That's not what I meant, Steven. I wasn't talking about you. I was an alcoholic, but I've been off the sauce for

a year. I go to AA meetings and I live in Madison….I have an extra room…."

"No fucking way."

"I can't believe Edna's gone…whatever you think about your Mother Steven, she tried….she had dreams that I

crushed…."

"No, no, I crushed her dreams of fame." Let's get the blame right he thought.

The management at the Tommy Bartlett Water Ski Show at Wisconsin in the Wisconsin-Dells didn't like their

water-skiing ladies to be pregnant.

No way was Hyde going to immortalize Edna in death like some people were prone to do. She was a terrible

mother, and sometimes he did feel a pity sort of love for her, but it didn't change facts. The verbal abuse,

sometimes being smacked around by various uncles, the way they lived in filth, the days he went hungry, bill

collectors always coming around. Just because she didn't deserve to be raped and murdered by her psycho twin

son didn't change the facts that Edna was a terrible mother.

"I can see we better stop for today. If you want to get in touch I'm in the book. Bye, Steven. And I'm sorry about

the loss of your friends."

How long was Bud Hyde in the area again that he could be in the phone directory?

_And why was it that doppelganger spared his life?_

Bud thought the better of trying to hug his son and he left as quietly as he came when Red answered the door.

When Bud was gone Red came into the kitchen as he saw Hyde crack open a can of cold beer. He still couldn't

tell the man that was the real father figure to him what he had to. It just didn't seem right to Hyde.

Kitty made the food on Sunday's so all Red had to do was take the item out and reheat it.

"I better put the mac and cheese in the oven."

Hyde thought the only ones who were going to really eat it were Eric and Kitty.

**Jackie**

Jackie couldn't make out with her boyfriend whose psychotic twin brother took his place for months. Hyde hated

being in this back room, but he didn't want Mrs. Forman to catch them doing anything when she wanted to do

an emergency pre-soak on her uniform. Jackie had her hands on his dresser, the old set of drawers that used to

belong to Laurie, he came up from behind her and put his arms around her waist and they looked at each

other's reflection in the mirror in front of them.

"Why didn't you tell me that your father came to visit you?"

"How did you know about that?"

"I overheard Mr. Forman tell Mrs. Forman."

"I didn't think I needed to tell you that…Bud means nothing to me."

She couldn't help it_…they had the same face…_

She did it again.

She flinched.

"_Who are you seeing in that reflection?"_

She broke from his touch.

"Steven, I'm sorry. It's difficult. I know it's you. I was there when Red shot your brother."

"Don't call him that."

"What am I supposed to call him? I was there when it happened."

"_It's me….I'm still me."  
_

"I know that. It's my body doing it…..I'm going to go upstairs and see if Eric wants to go for a walk. _We_ are

supposed to encourage him."

"Don't play the Forman card with me, Jackie."

James Steven was getting exactly what he wanted. That's why he chose to go down with a smile on his face.

"Well come upstairs with me instead of arguing."

**Eric's Room**

Eric was where he wanted to be. In his safe little bed with the covers up to his neck. He didn't have nightmares

about the spiders anymore. Red said the police killed them when they rescued him. He had a picture of Donna

on his nightstand that was provided by his mother, he had it face down. Now he never wanted to leave his

house.

It was secure here, as long as His mother, father, Hyde, or Jackie were here. He didn't want them to leave him

alone.

"Hi, Eric," Jackie came in trying to be upbeat for his benefit, "Do you want to come for a walk with me and

Steven?"

"No. I mean no, thanks. I finished my homework; the books are on my desk. I think it's useless, but it helps

break up the day."

"Forman, you know I hate to walk, but it's better than being in here all the time."

It was hard to look at Hyde_….he had same face_

Hyde knew he was doing it as well. "Damn it! I can't help it that we were identical twins! I don't want to deal

with either one of you right now!" He stormed out of the room and back to the basement where he could sit in

his favorite chair and watch TV.

**Basement**

Hyde found himself where Jackie was earlier; he opened up the drawer and took out his Swiss Army Knife and

opened it up, with the dull side of the blade and in soft pretend motions he went down the side of his cheek.

Maybe, he needed to turn it over to the sharp side to make himself look different than his evil dead twin brother

_so that the people who should know better would be seeing the correct face._

**Eric's Room**

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything…"

"I know what you're going through, Eric. I can't help it, either. I know that he's Steven Hyde, your best friend

and my soul mate, but sometimes I see his face and I can't help thinking about his evil twin. Steven has to know

that we care about him."

"Tell him that."

"I will. Are you sure you don't want to go outside for a walk?"

"No, thanks, Jackie. I'm not safe outside."

**Basement**

"I'm sorry, Steven." Jackie said before she landed on the bottom step. He chose not to answer her.

"Fine. I'll sit on the couch and watch TV with you. No wait; I know what you're going

through. I can't help it, either. I know that you're Steven Hyde, Eric's best friend and my

soul mate, but sometimes when I look at your face and into your eyes, I can't help

thinking about your evil twin. You have to know that I love you."

He stood up, "Not when you say garbage like that! I'm going upstairs, don't follow me."

Kitty was coming downstairs at the same time.

"Now, Steven, I'm in no mood, we're all recovering the best that we can, don't you close off Jackie or anyone

else! Jackie only is telling you her true feelings."

Kitty wasn't moving so Hyde turned around and went back to his chair.

"I'm still not talking."

"Steven, I'm human! I can't help it….I know you're Steven Hyde, okay? It's that knowing that there was another

person out there with your face, knowing that you had a twin brother, who was a psycho….it's hard…..we lost

Donna, Michael, and Fez….and we'd all be dead if it weren't for Mr. Forman."

…_and Laurie_

Why was it so difficult to tell Red? He already knew the answer to that question. Kitty let them talk as she went

to the washing machine, Hyde got up and sat next to his girlfriend.

"It just makes me feel lousy that you and Forman feel the need to flinch and twitch in my presence." He put his

arm around her. It wasn't the same…making out with her, cuddling with her, he couldn't even make love to her…

_it wasn't the same._

"I'm doing the best that I can, we all are." She rested her head in his chest.

"Please remember to pick your battles." Kitty reminded as she walked back upstairs.

Jackie fell asleep on Hyde's shoulder as Eric came downstairs it was better than being holed up in his room, he

sat on Hyde's chair.

"Hey, Forman."

"Hi, Hyde…" He whispered noticing Jackie sleeping.

"Listen, I'm sorry about before….."

"Don't worry about it. It's cool."

**This next section may be offensive to some ends with Eric's italicized **

**and bolded quote. **

**Special Thanks to Marla's Lost for encouraging me to put it up. **

**I wanted to give Eric a psychological breakthrough and the bolded punch line at the **

**end was what I was aiming for. **

**3 Days Later**

Eric was walking back and forth on the front porch. His Dad wasn't home. Hyde was at work. What were they

doing? He couldn't bring his foot down the small row of stairs and onto the sidewalk, yet he needed to get to

Hyde in person. His whole body felt itchy like those spiders were back, but he was coherent enough to realize

otherwise. He thought he needed to go to the Hub. And he had to hurry. He took the leap. He didn't want

anything more to happen to them.

He had no choice but to go.

Hyde was surprised to see Eric out of breath and obviously afraid to be in a public place. He came in through the

employees back entrance. Eric looked like he wanted out of his own skin.

"Hy…"

"What's wrong, Forman?"

"they're…oh god….you have to come home…it's awful…"

Hyde could tell it was an emergency, the manager said it was okay for him to leave, as everyone knew thanks to

the media coverage what had happened.

Eric waited until they were in the El Camino, which Hyde was desperately trying to find

a buyer for. He hated that, that scum drove this car. He didn't want to drive this car, but it

was all he had at the moment as he continued to surpress all of his emotions.

_His car._

"They're what?"

Then it clicked. His brother must have left some of his tainted work behind. When Hyde and Eric arrived back in

the Forman living room, Hyde couldn't believe what he saw.

Jackie and Kitty were making out, unaware that they were with the other one, assuming that they were with

their significant others.

There was a bottle of wine between them that was half-consumed on the coffee table.

When Jackie started to unbutton Kitty's blouse he knew he had to act fast.

"Forman I could use your help, you take Jackie…." Because if Kitty did what Hyde knew she was going to do, it

better not be on her actual son. He was already traumatized enough thanks to that son of a -

Kitty wrapped her arms around Hyde and she tried to kiss him calling him by Red's name….this must have been

the drug he gave Donna, only they seemed to have taken it in a massive amount. If Jackie kissed Forman, Hyde

would have to explain to him later that it was okay, she wasn't herself.

Eric fumbled but got Jackie on his body, she kissed him on the lips and moaned Hyde's name in his shoulder.

He was going to put her in the bathtub fully clothed and put the shower on full blast.

**Kitchen**

Hyde took the small kitchen hose from the sink and blasted (as gently as he could) in the face with a

steady stream of cold water.

"Wh…at….?" She rubbed her eyes, her head hurt like hell, what was going on?

"Mrs. Forman, are you all right?"

Hyde asked, the hard part was going to be telling her what she had done.

**Bathroom**

"I WHAT?" Jackie was ashamed and buried her face in the white towel.

"You weren't yourself. You kissed me on the way up the stairs too. But you did call me Steven."

"Oh, Eric! I can't face your mother!…" She rubbed her temples, "Do you have any aspirin for my headache?"

Eric wondered if it was wrong to think that he did quite enjoy the feel of her kiss.

**Kitchen**

"I'm taking that bottle of wine to the hospital for…I was making out with Jackie?"

"Yes…but to be fair you did call me Red when you tried to…" Hyde couldn't finish it, this woman was like a mother

to him. A better mother than Edna could ever have hoped to be, he wasn't going to canonize her just because

she died a horrible death.

"The last thing I remember was offering Jackie a small glass of wine while we watched TV. "

"I believe _HE_ poisoned it….I bet this is what was in Donna's system when she died….He told me he tainted your

tea once."

"I can't face Jackie…"

"You'll be proud of Forman, he ran to the Hub to get me. I could tell he was still scared because he wasn't ready

to be in public at all, but he went outside."

The door swung open and Eric held Jackie's hand until Hyde took over, he was her boyfriend.

"Mrs. Forman, I'm…. my head hurts so bad…I'm_ so sorry_…"

"Jackie, I love you like a daughter…and my headache is just as pounding…I'm sorry too."

"It wasn't either of your faults…_it was him_!" Hyde replied frustrated

Red came in through the back door and immediately could tell that something was up, especially when he saw

the puddle of water on the floor and Jackie and Kitty looked like they just came out of the washing machine. He

put the grocery bags on the kitchen table.

"What's going on?"

Hyde decided to be the one to tell him and about how Forman went outside to get him today, Eric was slightly

miffed, he could have done that himself. _He didn't need to be coddled._

"Well, Kitty, I can tell you all of the booze in this house is going!"

Except the beer.

"Not all of it Red…"

"Just the ones with a broken seal…. and we will take that wine to a lab…"

Eric looked at his father was about to do something he hasn't been able to do in months and that was to laugh

and not be able to stop.

"What's so funny?" Red asked

"**I was just thinking….what if it was you and Hyde that shared that bottle of wine **

**instead!"**

That did it everyone started to laugh. It was too surreal not to see the humor in an otherwise bleak situation.

Kitty walked up to her son and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. Eric was starting to come back to the

living side of things. God certainly worked in mysterious ways.

It was so good to see him laugh. It was good to see everyone laughing, even Hyde allowed himself to have a

small chuckle over it.

They all had a long way to go, and there would be more challenges to come, most certainly for the rest of their

lives, but they all were going to get there.

All they had was each other and their family unit would never be broken.

**Author' Note For Newbies: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this **

**story so far. This message is for any newbies who have discovered this story. I **

**appreciate your feedback. It wasn't sudden when Hyde met Holly. He was away **

**from the Forman family for 8 years before he met her, the odds of Holly knowing **

**Kitty was an association of her mother knowing Kitty when they went to nursing **

**school. It was the plot I chose to start the reunion scenes between Hyde and Kitty.**

**With Jackie passed away and Hyde not deserving to be alone for the rest of his life **

**an OC was needed. **

**Holly was the vehicle that made the reunion of Hyde and Kitty (and soon Eric) **

**possible after his self-imposed almost decade absence. Now, I'll admit I had a little **

**fun with putting in "Aunt Marsha Sullivan" from season 8 and stuck her in for **

**for the people who are trivia buffs and love those sort of show references **

**sprinkled into their fan fiction. Hyde hadn't had any true romantic feelings for **

**anyone since Jackie and is dealing with surviving (as so are Kitty and Eric) a **

**horrible tragedy. The 1987/future chapters are the aftermath that follows. **

**I thank ****everyone for their interest.**

**

* * *

****Thanks again to Marla's Lost and nannygirl for their assistance. Read their stories, they're**

**awesome. **


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